Faced with the imminent closure, by the end of July, of all beauty salons intended for Afghan women, an Afghan journalist wonders how far the Taliban will go to restrict women’s rights. Hamida Aman also stresses the importance of a radio station she founded to give voice to these women.
“We are erasing women from the public space“, laments this Tuesday on franceinfo Hamida Aman, founder of Radio Begum, radio controlled by women and intended for women in Afghanistan, while beauty salons must definitively close their doors with the entry into force of a decree from the Taliban authorities. These closures represent “jobs cut“, depriving sometimes “the only salary of a family“. For journalist Hamida Aman, it is “total bewilderment“, especially as a “beauty salon, it’s a meeting place, where women get together“.
“Where can we still meet as women?”
Monday, July 24 again, on the eve of closings, many women were present in these salons, and you could feel “an ambient sadness“. From now on, the managers of these establishments have only two options: “Either they close or they go underground and work in secret in the homes“, summarizes Hamida Aman.
Hamida Aman recalls that already “public baths, sports halls, universities, schools and parks are prohibited for women“.”Where can we still meet as women?“, asks the journalist. She regrets that the list of spaces still authorized for women “dwindles to a trickle“. She says that in the streets of Afghanistan, women “come and go to attend to the few occupations that remain to them, such as shopping, but we expect them to tell us not to go out any more: we are suffocating the female population“, supports the journalist.
The founder of Radio Begum wonders “why, once again, we go after women, Why, once again, are we attacking what symbolizes the beauty and well-being of women?”, Launches Hamida Aman. She accuses the Taliban regime “to isolate women by cloistering them at home“and judge”staggering“to see that women must”avoid contact with the outside“and let them be forbidden”any means of meeting, discussing and possibly organizing“.
A radio to invite Afghan women to discuss the news
Faced with this terrible observation, Hamida Aman highlights the importance of her radio, created in 2021 and which encourages “the listeners to come and express themselves on these current topics“. She explains as well as on her airwaves “of clients have expressed their anger, their incomprehension“. Radio Begum thus becomes one of the “only links left [aux femmes] to discuss with each other“. On the antenna,”psychological distress is felt every day“, is moved the journalist. Hamida Aman had to “increase airtime for psychological support“and pass it on”from one hour daily to two hours“.”Our radio has become the echo of resonance, a kind of living room where we discuss, where we exchange information, where we shout our anger, we can talk, laugh“, boasts its founder. This radio station shows unparalleled resilience: “We strive to continue to broadcast and expand our antennas across the country“, says Hamida Aman.