How A Radio Station Became Afghanistan’s Last Resistance | Documentary

Since the return of the Taliban, Afghan women, reduced to a life of silence, are subject to a type of apartheid unique to the world. For them, visits to the park, begging on the streets or going out without a male chaperone are forbidden. Gynaecology clinics and beauty salons have been closed. Education for girls after the age of 12 is no longer possible – in some regions after their 10th birthday.

But they still have at least one thing: Radio Begum. This educational radio channel, made by women for women, broadcasts school programmes every day that support the network of illegally operating schools in the country, of which there are around 15,000, all created in secret, housed in family rooms, cellars and caves.

Although closely monitored, radio has escaped closure in the meantime. But this balance is as fragile as it is subtle: as only the voice of female presenters are heard and they cannot be seen, Radio Begum is not yet breaking Taliban law. Filmed in secret, in a dictatorship that is virtually closed to foreign cameras, this report offers unprecedented access to the only resistance that endures in Afghanistan: that of the women.

This documentary was produced by Kraken Films and directed by Solène Chalvon-Fioriti . It was first released in 2024.

---

SUBSCRIBE for more amazing stories, including free FULL documentaries. On Java Discover we have an incredible library of award-winning documentaries: from world-leading investigations to true crime and history, we have something for everyone!

Click the SUBSCRIBE button and make sure to set NOTIFICATIONS to stay updated with all new content!

Follow us on TikTok, Facebook & Instagram: https://linktr.ee/javadiscover