Targeted Killings Cause Decline in Afghan Women Journalists
The Claim
300 Afghan women journalists have quit their jobs in journalism.
News posted on
Emerging story
Circulating posts on social media claim there is almost a 20% decline in the Afghanistan female journalists workforce.
Posts claim that over 300 women journalists have quit their jobs in journalism and related fields such as media during the past six months, in fear of their lives.
This follows safety concerns as there has been a wave of targeted killings and violence towards female journalists.
Others claimed that the reason for the decline is financial problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Users accused the Taliban, adding they want to terrorize post-2001 generations.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar's investigation found the claims to be true.
Multiple credible news sources such as Al Jazeera and CNN have reported on the killings, as well as The New York Times and France 24 who went further to link the killings to a decline in the Afghani female journalist's workforce.
There is also a UN report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) which analyzed data and trends connected to the killings from 2018 to 31 January 2021 on journalism-related killings further adding credibility.
Since 2018, more than 30 media workers and journalists have been killed in Afghanistan, although these numbers include both men and women, the killing of women usually gets more publicity and has a particularly chilling effect.
With the latest killings on Tuesday, claimed by the local affiliate of the militant Islamic State group, where 3 women, employed at a news outlet called Enikass Radio and TV were gunned down in Jalalabad eastern Afghanistan, on two separate attacks.
Prior to 2001 under Taliban rule, women were not allowed to work in Afghanistan, according to the UN female journalists (and lawyers) often face higher risk because they are more visible when challenging those in power and exposing issues. Kiran Nazish, the founder of the Coalition for Women in Journalism said violence is a message to everyone in the media and to discourage women from work.
The Taliban are being blamed although they have denied involvement.
The wave of violence against women comes at a volatile time for Afghanistan, their security continues to decline, President Biden’s anticipated withdrawal of US troops and ongoing peace talks by the Afghan government in Qatar.
Despite the violence, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee shared on social media that Afghan women journalists' will not step back and will continue their work as journalists and media workers.
They ended off by saying "We know the threats exist. It is worrying but we will not give up." Given the findings, the Misbar team rates the claim as true.
