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Kabul: On March 8, 2024, the Begum Organization for Women (BOW) declared the official inauguration of Begum TV, an educational television channel with the aim of providing learning opportunities to Afghan schoolgirls and students who have faced education deprivation under the Taliban regime. This launch coincides with Women’s International Day and highlights BOW’s dedication to empowering women through education.
Begum TV will be available 24/7 in Afghanistan via satellite, offering video courses encompassing the entire Afghan school curriculum from 7th to 12th Grade in both Dari and Pashto languages. The programming features scheduled daily sessions tailored to various grade levels, enabling students to participate in classes from home and interact with their preferred teachers for thirty-minute intensive courses.
To accommodate students who may miss the morning sessions, all video courses are rebroadcast in the afternoon and late evening. This ensures widespread accessibility to educational content, particularly for those facing logistical challenges or time constraints.
The initiative builds upon the foundation laid by Begum Academy, a free digital platform launched in November 2023, which hosts over 8500 video courses covering the same curriculum. By combining television and internet broadcasts, Begum aims to provide almost all Afghan schoolgirls and students with access to free education, significantly impacting educational equity in the region.
In addition to academic content, Begum TV features a three-hour daily prime-time slot targeting a family audience. This segment aims to raise awareness of crucial issues such as health problems, psychological traumas, gender issues, domestic violence, and women’s rights. Through a blend of education and entertainment, the channel seeks to engage both children and parents, fostering a supportive environment for girls’ education.
Two daily educational talk shows, “Tabassoom” (Healing) and “Matab” (The Clinic), serve as flagship programs during prime time. “Tabassoom” focuses on mental health and well-being, offering insights from psychotherapists based in Paris and Kabul who address viewers’ questions and concerns. Meanwhile, “Matab” aims to popularize medical information and provide health counselling and tele-consultations, addressing gaps in the Afghan health system.
Meanwhile, the launch of Begum TV represents a significant step towards promoting education and empowerment for Afghan women and girls. Through innovative programming and deliberate partnerships, BOW continues to champion gender equality and access to education in Afghanistan.
