The living room was very different from the glamorous and glamorous pictures she once loved. Still, in Afghanistan, where the Islamic organization Taliban has taken power and it has become increasingly difficult for women to go out, it is possible for women to make and publish videos on the YouTube video posting website from home and earn an income. 21, who used to appear in films and television, believes there are advantages to this. Displaced women line up to receive livelihood assistance in Kabul in 2022 (2024 Reuters / Ali Khara)
[カブール １７日 トムソン・ロイター財団] – The living room was a far cry from the magical and glamorous pictures she once loved. Still, in Afghanistan, where the Islamic organization Taliban has taken power and it has become increasingly difficult for women to go out, it is possible for women to make and publish videos on the YouTube video posting site from home and earn an income. 21, who used to appear in films and television, believes there are advantages to this.
The Taliban came to power in 2021 and severely restricted women’s movements, including banning the broadcast of television dramas featuring actresses and ordering female news anchors to wear hijabs (scarves). Hayato was active as a new actress until the ban was enforced. Now, she produces around 30 videos a month, ranging from cooking, fashion, make-up, to skits with her family, and uploads them to YouTube.
In Afghanistan, a growing number of female YouTubers are turning to online to earn a living. Among them, Hayato is one of the most successful women.
“We don’t use any special equipment like cameras, lights, cranes, or flashy props. We record with our mobile phones,” said Hayato. The channel, which was launched in September last year, has over 20,000 subscribers.
Since he has been at risk because of YouTube, he occasionally wears a medical mask and sunglasses when taking photos outdoors to be safe. Although he did not disclose the amount of his income, he said it was enough to support his family.
Due to economic sanctions imposed by other countries, Afghan banks are severely restricted in their transactions. For this reason, the friends of most YouTube content creators abroad send their profits through money transfer companies. Hayat has many viewers in the United States, Canada, Denmark and Australia, but is also watched in Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Taliban severely restricts women’s employment and education.
“In today’s situation where women can hardly work in the media field, YouTube is a good option and can cover the cost of living,” said Maina Sadat, former law student. She started making videos for YouTube after women were banned from studying at university.
Fauzia Koofi, a women’s rights activist, said that YouTube is not only a source of income for women, but also a way to share their messages, experiences and aspirations. “Every Afghan woman has a mobile phone and is connected to the world. There is nothing we can do to hold back a generation that has grown self-confidence,” she said, expressing her hope.
However, many female YouTubers, like Hayato, do not hold broadcast licenses from the Ministry of Information and Culture and fear their channels will be closed. The Taliban regime requires social media influencers and content creators to hold broadcast licenses.
“The Taliban is trying to make it mandatory for all YouTubers working in Afghanistan to get a license,” said Shadab Gulzar, deputy director of the Afghanistan YouTube Coalition. He expressed caution, saying that once a company gets a license, controls will become stricter and it will be forced to act in accordance with agreements.
The Taliban claimed there would be no problem with female YouTubers as long as they met the licensing criteria, including a journalism degree and three years of work experience. But meeting these demands is extremely difficult for women who did not study or work before the Taliban came to power.
According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture, the number of female YouTubers in the country is unknown, but there are more than 1,000 operating channels and 250 licenses have been issued.
Gulzar said YouTube has become an important source of income for many women to meet their living expenses. About 10-15% of domestic YouTubers earn between $1,500 and $2,000 per month, with more than half earning an average of $500. This is a significant amount in Afghanistan, where gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is just over $350.
Women claim that working on YouTube from home is the key to survival.
Former broadcaster Ayesha Niazi and her husband were forced to quit their jobs as journalists and turn to YouTube to support their family.
“In the current situation in Afghanistan, it’s dangerous to expose yourself to screens, but I had to do something to earn some money,” said Niazi, who posts three times a week on YouTube about culture and history. He earns around $300 a month by uploading videos. “As a mother, I couldn’t let my twins starve,” she said of her feelings.
Our Code of Conduct: New Tab Thomson Reuters “Principles of Trust”, opens a new tab
#Angle #Female #YouTubers #struggle #living #Taliban #regime
