
Reporting in secret under the oppressive shadow of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Thomson's Young Journalist of the Year for 2024 is a woman whose fearless journalism for The Afghan Times-an outlet founded by Afghan women journalists and now run in exile-has brought to light critical stories, from the closure of women-only restaurants to the struggles of women impacted by natural disasters.
In this exclusive interview, she shares her journey as a journalist in one of the world's most dangerous environments, the challenges of working under constant threat and the unwavering mission that drives her.
When and why did you decide to become a journalist? I decided to become a journalist because I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless, especially Afghan women who have been marginalised for decades. Growing up, I saw the struggles of women in my country and felt a responsibility to share their stories with the world. Journalism felt like a powerful way to bring attention to the injustices they face and to advocate for change.
When I started working with The Afghan Times in 2022, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and responsibility. It became an important part of my life, shaping how I approach my work and allowing me to tell stories that truly matter. Every day, I feel proud of the work I do with The Afghan Times. The stories I've worked on have reached audiences in a meaningful way, and I am encouraged by the impact they have had. Through The Afghan Times, I feel like I can contribute in a good style and format that resonates with readers.
What are the particular problems you face working as a woman journalist in Afghanistan, and can you describe what a working day for you is like? The main challenges include severe restrictions on my movement and constant fear of being targeted by the Taliban. As a woman, I am not allowed to work publicly or openly. A typical working day involves operating in secrecy, using encrypted tools to communicate with sources, and planning every step carefully to avoid detection.
I also face significant difficulties in accessing information, as government sources and official channels are largely unavailable to women journalists. The Taliban's policies mean I cannot freely meet with sources or conduct interviews in public. Many sources, especially women, fear retaliation for speaking out, making it even harder to gather firsthand accounts.
The stigma attached to women journalists is another obstacle. In addition to the Talibans restrictions, societal attitudes influenced by their ideology often result in harassment or hostility from civilians. Technical challenges, such as limited internet access or surveillance risks, further complicate the reporting process.
As a young team in Afghanistan, we also lack the proper equipment needed for professional journalism. We often rely on basic tools that are inadequate for the scale and sensitivity of the work we do. This limitation makes it harder to produce high-quality reports and maintain the security needed in such a risky environment.
Every day is filled with a constant balance of caution and commitment. While these challenges are overwhelming at times, they fuel my determination to continue shedding light on the stories that need to be told.
Without putting yourself at risk, can you reveal the sort of security measures you have to take and your biggest challenges when gathering stories and working with sources? I rely on encrypted communication methods and a trusted network of sources who understand the risks we all face. I avoid leaving any digital or physical trail that could lead to me or my work. The biggest challenge is accessing firsthand accounts while ensuring the safety of both my sources and myself. The risk of surveillance or retaliation is always present. Our editor-in-chief, Salma Niazi, is instrumental in guiding us through these challenges, providing training and instructions at every step to ensure our safety and the accuracy of our work.
What do you fear the most about doing your job? My biggest fear is endangering the lives of those who share their stories with me. The Talibans strict control and their willingness to punish dissent make every interaction potentially life-threatening for both my sources and myself.
The restrictions on women are constantly changing and being updated. How do you adapt? Adapting requires staying informed about the latest decrees and understanding the risks they pose. I adjust my reporting methods, avoid high-risk areas, and lean on my network for support. Flexibility and vigilance are critical to surviving in such an unpredictable environment.
Our editorial team also plays a vital role in ensuring our safety. They carefully monitor the changing restrictions and frequently update our working methods to keep us protected. Every detail is considered meticulously, allowing us to continue our work as safely as possible in such a dangerous context.
Are there any particular stories you've reported on that have stayed with you or had a significant impact? One story that deeply moved me was about women-only restaurants being shut down. These spaces symbolised a small but meaningful freedom for Afghan women, and their closure marked another devastating loss under Taliban rule. Reporting on the child labour crisis also stays with me-it revealed the harsh reality faced by children in Afghanistan, forced into labour due to poverty and restrictions on womens employment.
How do you decide which stories to pursue in such a restrictive environment? I prioritise stories that shed light on the struggles of marginalized groups, especially women and children. Each story is chosen based on its potential to amplify their voices and bring international attention to their plight, while also weighing the risks involved in pursuing it.
With so many challenges and increa
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
15/06/2025
July 2025 in Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam & London
Photo: Thea Martre
Music Production for Women (MPW) have announced that they will be running a series of fo...
15/06/2025
Composer/producer launches free virtual instruments
Sulcata Sound is the latest venture of Jason Graves, a two-time British Academy Award-winnning composer,...
14/06/2025
NEW YORK Pluto TV and the All Womens Sports Network have launched a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) AWSN channel in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Nor...
14/06/2025
NEW YORK and CINCINNATI E.W. Scripps has announced a new, multiyear agreement with the WNBA that will continue Ions regular-season coverage of the league on Fri...
14/06/2025
WASHINGTON The National Association of Broadcasters highlighted the hidden importance of spectrum in the production of major sporting events and described wha...
14/06/2025
WASHINGTON Sunsetting ATSC 1.0, expanding business opportunities for NextGen Broadcast and increasing international adoption of the ATSC 3.0 standard were top o...
14/06/2025
SAN FRANCISCO Samba TV and Acxiom have announced that they will dramatically expand their longstanding relationship....
14/06/2025
July 2025 in Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam & London
Photo: Thea Martre
Music Production for Women (MPW) have announced that they will be running a series of fo...
14/06/2025
San Francisco State University's School of Cinema Uses Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton June 13, 2025
0 Comments
More than 40 Blackmagic Design came...
14/06/2025
Boris FX Mocha Pro Adds New AI Tools To Tackle VFX Tasks Fast
Jessie Electa Petrov June 13, 2025
0 Comments
The 2025.5 release helps artists work more...
14/06/2025
AJA Debuts DRM2-Plus Mini-Converter Frame at InfoComm 2025
Brie Clayton June 13, 2025
0 Comments
Next-gen frame addresses diverse rackmount needs wit...
13/06/2025
(L-R) Lindsay Utz, Michelle Walshe, and The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Prime Minister at Eccles T...
13/06/2025
Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima
If you're a true lover of rom-coms, chances...
13/06/2025
Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic spor...
13/06/2025
Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
13/06/2025
ABILENE. Texas A severe storm knocked down the tower and severely damaged the news studio and main facility of Sinclair-owned KTXS here on Sunday, June 8....
13/06/2025
Berklee's Music Business/Management Department Recognized by the Music Biz A...
13/06/2025
WASHINGTON The ATSC, the Broadcast Standards Association, honored veteran technologist Aldo Cugnini and Clarence Hau, Senior Vice President of Standards, Policy...
13/06/2025
(Editor's note: The 2025 UFL Championship Game between the D.C. Defenders and Michigan Panthers kicks off Saturday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern. The game wil...
13/06/2025
New iPad/iPhone synth App announced
Following on from last year's release of Gradient Synth - which reached #6 on the App Store's Paid Music charts ...
13/06/2025
LONDON Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in multiple new countries this July as the streamer becomes available in...
13/06/2025
AI voice transcription and captioning platform Verbit has added a new feature to its Captivate ASR solution the ability to identify specific features in automat...
13/06/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission member Anna Gomez has wrapped up two weeks in California visiting broadcasters, television studio executives, enter...
13/06/2025
WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives voted mostly along party lines to approve a rescission package that would cancel $9.4 billion in previously approve...
13/06/2025
At InfoComm 2025, AJA Video Systems announced DRM2-Plus, an intuitive, high-capacity 3RU frame that can neatly house up to 24 AJA Mini-Converters. Tailored to s...
13/06/2025
Cinema advertising leader to leverage AOS and suite of AI-enabled solutions to optimize forecasting, yield management, and streamlined ad sales and operations a...
13/06/2025
Manfrotto has launched the ONE Hybrid Tripod, a new support system designed specifically for professional content creators working with mirrorless cameras acros...
13/06/2025
Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that its Media Edge Gateway (MEG), an ATSC 3.0 software-based IRD, now supports Device Security requ...
13/06/2025
LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video contribution, production and distribution solutions, is deepening its commitment to the German-speaking market with th...
13/06/2025
Chaos, the leader in architectural visualisation software, today announces Chaos Corona 13, giving archviz designers new ways to add eye-catching style and flai...
13/06/2025
PALI's Nena Music Video Shot with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton June 12, 2025
0 Comments
Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K and DaVinci Resolve Studio b...
13/06/2025
OddBeast Powers Up iRobot's Newest Roombas with Suite of CGI Launch Assets
Brie Clayton June 12, 2025
0 Comments
The motion design and production ...
13/06/2025
On Chick Coreas Birthday, a Newly Uncovered Archival Release The Visitors, composed by Corea and performed by vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Kirill Gers...
13/06/2025
In fulfilment of a recommendation by the Government's Expert Advisory Commit...
13/06/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Backblaze's Gleb Budman Talks Products, Partnerships, and the ...
13/06/2025
SVG Sit-Down: DAZN's Walker Jacobs Calls Streaming the FIFA Club World Cup ...
13/06/2025
New Sponsor Spotlight: Vecima Networks' Paul Strickland on How Improving QoE...
13/06/2025
Pitch Perspective: Where's Next for Specialty Cameras in Soccer? Leaders from Sky Austria and ACS discuss the possibilities of camera placement pitchside B...
13/06/2025
Premiership Rugby Final 2025: Vintage clash between Bath and Leicester gets full...
13/06/2025
Premiership Rugby Final 2025: TNT Sports gears up for Bath vs Leicester battle w...
13/06/2025
NCAA Men's College World Series: ESPN Adds Two-Point SupraCam, Invests in Ne...
13/06/2025
New FSWX signal and spectrum analyzer with novel architecture overcomes limits o...
13/06/2025
Apple today announced the addition of iPad to Self Service Repair, providing iPad owners with access to repair manuals, genuine Apple parts, Apple Diagnostics t...
13/06/2025
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed iOS 26, a major update that brings a beautiful new design, intelligent experiences, and improvements to the apps use...
13/06/2025
At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled Apple Games, an all-new destination designed to help players jump back into the games they...
13/06/2025
Industrial AI isn't slowing down. Germany is ready.
Following London Tech Week and GTC Paris at VivaTech, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang's Europea...
12/06/2025
In 2018, Spotify launched Heart & Soul, a mental health initiative developed to ...
12/06/2025
50 Years Strong: SBS and NITV Supercharge NAIDOC Week 2025 in a joint 50th celeb...