New magazine, TV channel give Afghan women a cautious voice

Afghan women are redrawing the media landscape in their country with the launch of a new magazine and a television channel, risking the anger of extremists by giving their gender a glamorous voice. The teams behind the two privately-run projects have bold ambitions to use their mass media platforms to change attitudes and inform Afghans of their rights. But they know fully well the dangers of such trailblazing ventures in a nation where many still believe a woman does not belong outside the home.

“(The) lack of participation of women in life has made this country very violent,” said Sandjar Sohail, head of the Hasht press group behind the launch of ‘ Gelara’ magazine.

The glossy monthly, run by a team of women in their 20s, proclaims itself as “Afghanistan’s first fashion magazine”. It is also a 100 per cent Afghan project. Gelara (‘the apple of the eyes’ in Farsi), a colloquialism for something beautiful and precious, contains culture and celebrities, but aims for pedagogy.

Beauty, cooking, health, literature: the magazine succumbs to feminine tropes, but also dives into issues such as family law reform, which has stalled in the Afghan parliament since 2008.

“This family law is so unfair for women... once they get married they have no rights. You have to push for women’s rights,” insists the editorin-chief, 24-year-old Fatana Hassanazada, who heads a team of 14 young women. Gelara’s first cover featured singer Mozhdah Jamalzadah.

In an interview, the artist discusses criticism she has received for wearing costumes judged too tight.

“Yes it’s risky. It’s always risky” in Afghanistan to fight conservatism and extremism, said Sohail, who also runs the country’s most popular newspaper, 8-Subh (8-Hours).

Zan TV, or ‘Women’s TV’, will also aim to challenge traditional expectations of the female role in Afghanistan, when it begins broadcasting in the near future.

Women are already on the air in Afghanistan and regularly present the news. But at Zan TV they will have power. Mehria Afzal, 25, the head of the political service, expects to be “the voice of Afghan women”.

“This is the first time that we have launched a television project dealing with the issues of Afghan women, covering all subjects, allowing women to express themselves whether it is politics or religion,” says Malalai Zikria, the channel’s editorial advisor. “Every woman or girl who has something to say will be welcome,” she promises.