Baghlan women uninterested to work in media

PUL-I-KHUMRI CITY (Pajhwok): There is no female journalist in the field in northern Baghlan province owing to economic and security issues, media directors said on Sunday.

Media officials say due to economic problems and insecurity, a limited number of female journalists work in local media outlets.

Ferozan Sadat, a news director at Adib local radio station in Pul-i-Khumri City, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok Afghan News that insecurity kept female journalists from working in the province.

Besides insecurity, she said, cultural barriers also contributed to the lack of female journalists. Sadat added: “I started job at the radio with too much difficulties and family permission, still my relatives oppose my job.”

Azizia Mohammadi, a news producer at Chonghar local radio station, told Pajhwok that working in radio was her wish but inappropriate environment discouraged her to work more.

She said still people made no good comments about girls working in radio.

She said: “I know a number of girls who have graduated from the journalism faculty but they have been unable to work in media outlets for different reasons.”

Halima Wardak, female journalists association head in Baghlan, said female journalists number decreased over the past few years in the province.

According to her information, in 15 media outlets, only 30 female journalists work inside their offices.

She said major hurdle to female journalists was suspicion on girls’ capability in media outlets.

On the other hand, Mohammad Rafi Wardak, the journalist association head in Baghlan, said insecurity and culture restrictions in the province had not been at the level to prevent girls from working in media outlets in the city.

He said, “If girls complete the requirements, opportunities are available for them to work in media outlets and insecurity is not a big challenge.”

Abdul Kabir Ahmadzai, the civil societies’ executive director, told Pajhwok besides men women.

But he added insecurity and culture barriers did not allow females to work as journalists.

Zikria Nasari, Baghlan information and culture department head, told Pajhwok that female journalists faced more problems compared to their men counterparts in the province.

He said despite insecurity and culture barriers still a number of female journalists worked in offices.

He said sometimes female journalists were harassed and not given their documents back while leaving jobs.

He said the issue had been discussed with media outlets and efforts were underway to address it in near future.

Pk/ma

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