As part of a series of conversations with journalists, both those inside Afghanistan and those who have found refuge abroad, I recently spoke over the phone with another Afghanistan female journalist. For security reasons she has chosen to remain anonymous, so here we refer to her by the pseudonym Manigha Basir.

Manigha’s story is one of resilience and courage. She is among the small number of women in Afghanistan who, despite unimaginable dangers and constraints, chose to continue their work as journalists during one of the most turbulent times in the country. She not only worked during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan but also briefly carried on her work under Taliban rule, enduring severe restrictions and facing constant threats.

Ultimately, however, the intense pressure forced her to abandon her role. Manigha, who holds degrees in law and practical journalism, now works as a teacher in a private school – a career shift she never wanted but found unavoidable due to mounting threats from the Taliban and the lack of media freedom in the country.

Kabul in 2021

Manigha began her formal media career in Kabul in 2021. From the very first days, she encountered obstacles and threats that tested her dedication to her work. Although the societal restrictions and threats created a cloud of fear and difficulty around her, her family provided steadfast support, standing behind her every step of the way.

This support was her source of strength, pushing her to amplify the voices of the Afghanistan people, especially women and marginalized groups. From the start, she threw herself into her work, covering sensitive issues across social, economic, and criminal domains. Every time she approached a topic that might be seen as sensitive or risky, she drew courage from her family’s encouragement, even as they themselves worried deeply about her safety.

Before the fall of the Afghanistan government, Manigha had already built a promising career in the media. However, she describes the drastic shift in her personal and professional life that began after the Taliban seized control.

“Freedom of speech, media rights, even the right to simply express an opinion – none of that exists here in Afghanistan anymore.”

According to her, the entire media landscape changed overnight: just months into Taliban rule, journalism became heavily restricted and tightly censored. Initially, she waited, hoping the situation might improve, but eventually decided to return to work despite the risks. She was determined to document and report on Afghanistan’s new reality under Taliban rule. She sought to shed light on the country’s deepening crises, especially concerning the rights of women and the rise in criminal activity.

Unfortunately, she faced continuous restrictions, relentless threats, and blanket prohibitions, all of which forced her eventually to walk away from the profession she loved.

Days of hopelessness

As Manigha recounts her story, a painful tone fills her voice as she recalls how she was ultimately forced to abandon her career in journalism. “Freedom of speech, media rights, even the right to simply express an opinion – none of that exists here in Afghanistan anymore”, she says. “Everything is entirely censored, the environment is tightly controlled. We aren’t allowed to discuss the real crises in our country.”

She reflects on how she had to let go of her work, even as she continued hoping that somehow, she might still be able to communicate the concerns of the Afghanistan people. However, the constant threats and increasing Taliban restrictions finally made it impossible for her to continue. Leaving her role felt like a profound personal loss, and she describes the heartbreak of watching a lifelong dream fall apart under the weight of oppression.

One of the major reasons that finally forced Manigha to leave her job was the direct threat of Taliban retaliation. After publishing several reports focused on the rights and struggles of women in Afghanistan and the protests they had organized, she began to sense that the Taliban were actively tracking her movements.

She recalls one terrifying day when Taliban members arrived at her office; Fortunately, she was not there at the time. A colleague of hers, however, was not so lucky. This co-worker was detained by the Taliban and, after hours of interrogation and death threats, was released with strict warnings against covering any form of protest. With tears in her eyes, Manigha recalls the fear and anguish of that day and the lasting impact it had on her sense of safety.

Stepping onto a battlefield

In Afghanistan, simply being a woman and leaving one’s home feels like stepping onto a battlefield. Manigha describes how, each time she ventured out into the city for her work, it was as though she was entering a war zone, one in which the outcome was always uncertain. She knew she might return safely, but she also understood that imprisonment, harassment, or worse awaited her at every turn.

This daily uncertainty not only weighed heavily on her but also placed her family and relatives in a constant state of worry. Her family’s military background made them a target in the eyes of the Taliban, who viewed them with suspicion as possible adversaries, deepening Manigha’s anxiety and adding to the overall danger of her work.

“These policies practically erase women from media work altogether.”

The situation became even worse when the Taliban reinstated Sharia law and the policies of “promotion of virtue and prevention of vice”. With these directives in place, Manigha says she quickly realized that media work for women in Afghanistan had become almost impossible. She speaks with a mixture of anger and sorrow as she explains: “These policies practically erase women from media work altogether. We aren’t allowed to attend conferences. We are not allowed to speak and we certainly cannot move about the city to gather information or report.”

She feels that these restrictions are so severe that women, as a group, have been entirely removed from the public media landscape in Afghanistan, their voices stifled and their roles erased.

More support for women

Manigha calls out to the international community and human rights organizations, pleading for more support for women in Afghanistan. Her tone shifts between sorrow and hope as she says, “i urge the world to stand with the people of Afghanistan, especially with the women of this country, and not allow a whole generation to be held hostage by a brutal and ignorant group.”

She stresses the importance of freedom, justice, equality, and human rights and expresses a deep-seated hope that one day, she will be able to live in her society without fear, continue her education, and work in her profession again.

“My dream is for a day when all women in my country can walk freely and safely in the streets.”

With a voice that carries both the pain of her experiences and the strength of her determination, Manigha says, “my dream is for a day when all women in my country can walk freely and safely in the streets, attend school, work in offices, and be present in our society without fearing for our lives, without the endless shadow of threats and restrictions hanging over us.”

She adds that while she may be out of journalism, her spirit remains unbroken. Manigha still holds onto her dream of one day returning to journalism under different circumstances, in a free Afghanistan where she can work without fearing for her life.