On Wednesday, Tolo News broadcasted an all-female panel in its studio with a women audience to commemorate International Women’s Day.
This was a rare occurrence since many female journalists left the profession or started working off-air after the Taliban took over. According to a survey by Reporters Without Borders, more than 75 percent of female journalists lost their jobs since the Taliban took over when foreign forces withdrew in August 2021.
The panel, consisting of three women and one female moderator, discussed the position of women in Islam while wearing surgical masks.
Journalist Asma Khogyani stated that women have rights from an Islamic perspective, including the right to work and education.
The Taliban had restricted most Afghan female NGO workers, women from university, and most girls from high school.
Former university professor Zakira Nabil said that women would continue to learn and work despite the restrictions.
Due to the country’s severe economic crisis and growing restrictions, the International Labour Organisation reported that female employment decreased by 25 percent since mid-2021, and more women have turned to self-employment like tailoring at home.
On Wednesday, the United Nations Mission to Afghanistan called on the Taliban to reverse restrictions on the rights of girls and women, calling them “distressing.”
The Taliban stated that they respect women’s rights based on their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture and that authorities had formed a committee to examine issues perceived and work towards re-opening girls’ schools.
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Pavan Manzoor is an experienced content writer , editor and social media handler along with a track record of youth-oriented activities in Pakistan and abroad. She was selected as a fully-funded delegate as a leadership fellow in Turkey. She also led a team of 5 volunteers at the week-long Young Professionals Fellowship in Maldives. She is also a member of the Youth Standing Committee on Higher Education.
