It has been more than two and a half years since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, leading to the deprivation of freedoms for millions of women and girls. In France, it is a form of resistance which was launched at the beginning of March by Afghan refugees, north of Paris. Begum TV is a television channel that broadcasts from the French capital to Afghan homes. It is aimed at young girls and women who still live under the yoke of the Taliban with, among other things, educational or psychological support programs.
The atmosphere is relaxed, a few minutes before the recording of the show. Around ten people are busy in the editorial office and the studio in which Diba and Marina, the two presenters, have taken their place. A green screen, automatic cameras and a control room on the other side of the glass controlled by Getee. With a wave of her hand, she signals the start of the show.
“ Hello everyone, I am Marina Golbahori, you are watching Bégum TV, welcome to the show “Tabassoum”. The topic of the day is the suppression of girls’ right to education and we are talking about it with you Diba Akbari, hello. – Good morning ! – Dear Diba, explain to us: what are the psychological consequences of this deprivation of education for girls? »
“The idea is to give them a voice, but also a face”
The show, which lasts half an hour to record, focuses on mental health and well-being. It involves psychologists, ready to answer questions from anonymous viewers, explains Hamida Aman, founder of Begum Organization For Women, the NGO behind the project: “ We have a lot of teenage girls who call, and above all, we have a lot of mothers who call because they are idle. They don’t know how to manage the distress of their teenage girls who have been deprived of school for two and a half years now.. »
By calling the show, these women receive advice. “ We give them little tips to feel better like naturotherapy, breathing exercises, meditation”, further develops Hamida Aman. In other words, a breath of fresh air, in a country where public gardens, hair salons and sports halls are forbidden to them. “ We address topics that can only speak to these women in Afghanistan. The idea is to give voice to these Afghan women through this channel. Not only a voice, but also a face. »
Also listenBeing a woman in Taliban Afghanistan
“I’m doing the job I love again”
Diba and Marina are the faces of this program that Afghan homes receive by satellite. The two women do not wear veils and speak without taboos.
For Diba, an Afghan journalist who has been a refugee in France for a year and a half, Begum TV represents an unexpected opportunity. “ In Afghanistan, I was in danger, because I often criticized the Taliban. When I left the country, I had the feeling of having lost everything: my job, my life, my future there. But once in France, when I joined Bégum television, it was as if I was reborn. I found hope again. I got my life back, and especially my job. I was once again doing the job I love. »
Begum TV is also an educational channel. Video lessons are offered free of charge in Pashto and Dari languages to Afghan middle and high school students who are deprived of them. For Marina, in France for nine years, it’s a way of giving back. “With our educational programs, we reach out to lots of little girls so that they can continue their studies and continue to learn. So Begum is a sign of hope for me and thousands of women in Afghanistan.»
In the Dari language, Begum means “queen”. Diba and Marina see this as a sign of the beginning of regaining their rights in Afghanistan.
Read alsoAfghanistan: “I feel like I’m in prison and my crime is being a woman”