Mediothek Balkh (Maulana Peace House) organized an event to mark the World Press Freedom Day on 03 May 2021 in Maulana Peace House. The event was attended by more than 70 participants including government officials, academics, private media owners, representatives of journalists’ support agencies, press officers of the ANSF, journalists, and students of journalism.
Mohammad Saber Naghshbandi, coordinator of Mediothek Balkh, speaking at the opening of the event, described media as the voice of human societies, saying that a lack of free media in the contemporary world is like voiceless society, therefor we need free media and it is our shared responsibility to support it and strengthen it and events such these are very crucial for providing support media and journalists need in Afghanistan.
Director of Balkh Information and Culture Department, Mati-ur-Rehman Karimi, said that advances of free media over the last two decades is one of the greatest achievements of Afghanistan, which, despite the many threats and problems, continues to operate and educate citizens by providing information.
He added that government agencies in general are preoccupied with providing security and fighting terrorism and war and as a result media and culture are forgotten. He expressed worries that as international support for media is dwindling, with it some media organizations may not be able to continue operation. Regarding the condition of the media in Balkh, he said that the local government is doing everything possible to have good relations with media and journalists, and the province’s information and culture department is at the forefront of the these efforts, working hard to enhance relations by holding regular meetings between journalists and the local government departments and providing support.
Mohammad Bashir Ansari, representative of the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, says that we are celebrating 3rd of May in a time that Afghanistan is witnessing widespread setbacks in the field of freedom of expression and media over the past year, especially in the last six months, nearly 700 journalists had to leave their work among them 300 female journalists due to security as well as financial strains on media organizations.
According to Ansari, Balkh was second only to Kabul in terms of the presence of women journalists. But due to security threats and countless other challenges, their number has drastically fallen, 79 female journalists in Balkh, 36 in Faryab, 59 in Jawzjan and 8 female journalists in Samangan left their work with media altogether.
He described security threats and targeted killings of journalists in the country as the main issues causing problems and self-censorship among journalists in Balkh and beyond. Preferential treatment of some journalists and discrimination against others by Balkh local government institutions in some cases, and difficulties of accessing information are the most pressing challenges of journalists after security and targeted killing, according to Ansari.
Dr. Najib Peykan, owner of Peykan private TV channel in Mazar-e-Sharif, said that given the important role of journalism, it is love and not a profession, adding that economic and security problems forced many journalists in Balkh to leave their jobs and media organization need support to continue operating more than event before.
Maria Raheen, Dean of Faculty of Journalism at Balkh University, described media as a manifestation of a country’s civilization and a measure of awareness of its citizens, adding that due to insecurity in the country media and journalists are under tremendous pressure. The event is a part of a long series of events organized by Mediothek Afghanistan and funded by the German Cooperation with Afghanistan through GIZ.
