It offers a rare platform for women and girls to learn and continue their studies, with eight teachers delivering lessons in subjects ranging from mathematics to science.
But then, on September 30, without any immediate explanation, the Taliban authorities in power cut off telephone and Internet networks throughout Afghanistan, effectively taking Radio Femme off the air.
A UN Women team assesses earthquake damage in Nurgal, one of the worst-affected districts in Kunar province, northeastern Afghanistan. .
The temporary closure of the radio station is just one small example of how women have been affected by the national Internet blackout.
This blackout, along with the aftermath of an earthquake in the east of the country, a continuing drought in the north and the return of millions of refugees expelled from neighboring countries, have made life increasingly difficult for women and girls in Afghanistan.
“It is another crisis that adds to the existing crisis. It is absolutely unnecessary for this type of interruption to occur, and the impact will have repercussions on the lives of the Afghan people,” said Arafat Jamal, country representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Why the Internet is so vital for women
In an interview with UN Women, women like Sama shared how the Internet offers a rare space to work, build small businesses and sell products.
“Through my online store I became very well known,” she said. “I’m making money, solving my financial problems and becoming self-sufficient.”
However, when the blackout hit, Sama lost her only source of income overnight, like many other women. In Afghanistan, the impact of Internet and telephone blackouts falls most heavily on women and girls, UN Women reported.
“It eliminates what is, for many, an ultimate means of learning, making money and connecting.”
While internet access has largely been restored across Afghanistan, the message was clear: this valuable gateway to learning, expression and services for women and girls can close at any time, a stark reminder that the digital space is not neutral, according to UN Women.
Women’s education, mental health and livelihoods are at stake, the agency said.