Afghanistan: Radio For Peace International and Nothing2Hide launch program to protect journalists and women amid growing restrictions

Afghanistan: Radio For Peace International and Nothing2Hide launch program to protect journalists and women amid growing restrictions

In the face of severe restrictions on journalists and women in Afghanistan, Radio For Peace International (RFPI) and Nothing2Hide are joining forces to provide critical support. Together, they are launching an innovative digital safety training program, broadcast in Farsi and Pashto, and designed in collaboration with Afghan journalists.

A direct response to needs on the ground

After launching programs in 2023 focused on psychological support for Afghan women  and promoting their voices through "Parole de femmes afghanes", RFPI is now partnering with  cybersecurity experts Nothing2Hide. Their goal: to equip journalists, especially  women, with the essential tools to secure their communications and continue to inform in  a context of censorship and surveillance.

Radio, a vital space in danger

With more than 170 radio stations still active in Afghanistan, according to the Afghan Journalists Association  , the threat of closure looms. Local authorities are targeting FM radio stations in the  Khost region in particular. For Sylvain Clament, president of RFPI:  " We want to allow journalists to continue their work despite the obstacles, by  strengthening their digital security and offering them alternative means, such as shortwave broadcasting

Training to protect women and defend their freedom

Afghan women, including journalists, are exposed to alarming risks:  online stalking, harassment and violence. As Jamila Karimi, Afghan journalist and  Middle East and Asia Director for RFPI, points out:  " In a country where even a simple digital trace can lead to retaliation,  online communication remains one of the last spaces of freedom for women and girls. We  must protect them and allow them to express themselves. "

A program widely distributed and accessible to all

Since October 31, RFPI and Nothing2Hide have been broadcasting two weekly 15-  minute episodes, every Thursday and Friday (1430-1500 UTC), from the Issoudun site in France on the  17860 Khz frequency.  According to Grégoire Pouget, director of Nothing2Hide: " Training directly on site in Afghanistan was a crucial first step. Today, we  are moving to a mass broadcast to reach as many people as possible. "

The programme will run for seven weeks, comprising 14 episodes, and will be accessible via:

• Websites www.nothing2hide.org and www.rfpi.eu

• Social media (Facebook, YouTube)

• Major podcast platforms.

Together, RFPI and Nothing2Hide demonstrate that it is still possible to defend freedom and  information, even in the most hostile environments.

(RFPI Press Release)