Hamida Aman

Last updated
Hamida Aman
Born1973
Kabul
Nationality Afghan
Occupationmedia entrepreneur
Known forstarting Radio Begum for girls in Afghanistan

Hamida Aman (born 1973) is an Afghan entrepreneur, writer and journalist. She started a radio station in Kabul that specialises in educating the girls excluded by gender apartheid from public education. In 2024 she was recognised as one of the BBC's 100 inspirational women.

Life

Aman was born in Kabul in 1973. Her grandmother was a noblewoman who held the title of "Begum". When she was six, she and her family emigrated to Switzerland to escape conflict. She completed her education, and in 2001, after the Taliban fell from power in her country, she returned for a visit. While living with her own family in Paris, she used her expertise in communication and journalism to launch several projects in Afghanistan. [1]

In 2020, she founded the Begum Organisation for Women. [2]

When American forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, Aman had already launched a radio station, Radio Begum, in the preceding March. [2] [3] The Taliban's approach to governance led to what was later termed gender apartheid, as women were excluded from public life, and secondary schools and universities were reserved for boys and men. [4]

Radio Begum was run by a team of women and, from 2022, received support from the International Programme for the Development of Communication. This funding allowed forty additional women to be trained. The station's approach was to comply with regulations to ensure it could continue broadcasting to the women of Afghanistan. [2] [3] It is estimated that the radio station reaches around half a million people through twelve transmitters. [2]

In 2024, Aman's inspirational work was recognised by the BBC when she was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women. [5]

References

  1. ↑ "À Kaboul, Radio Begum, le seul média à fournir un accès à l'éducation des filles". Madame Figaro (in French). 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Resilience amidst adversity: Hamida Aman, founder of women-led radio Begum, empowering Afghan women's voices". Archived from the original on 2024-11-30. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  3. 1 2 "La fondatrice de Radio Begum, la voix des Afghanes: "Nous sommes sans cesse confrontées à des embûches"". rts.ch (in French). 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  4. ↑ "UN rapporteur calls for Taliban's 'gender apartheid' to be codified as crime". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2024-12-07. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  5. ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2024: Who is on the list this year? - BBC News". News. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
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