Hamida Aman (born 1973) is an Afghan entrepreneur, writer and journalist. She started a radio station in Kabul that specialises in educating the girls excluded by gender apartheid from public education. In 2024 she was recognised as one of the BBC's 100 inspirational women.
Life
Aman was born in Kabul in 1973. Her grandmother had been a noblewoman who had the title of "Begum". She and her family emigrated to avoid conflict to live in Switzerland when she was six. She completed her education and in 2001 the Taliban fell from power in her country and she visited. She was living with her own family in Paris, but she used her knowledge of communication and journalism to launch several projects in Afghanistan.[1]
In 2020 she started an organisation called Begum Organisation for Women.[2]
When the American forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, Aman had launched a radio station named Radio Begum in the preceding March.[2][3] The Taliban's approach to government resulted in what was later called Gender Apartheid as women were excluded from public life, secondary schools and universities were reserved for boys and men.[4]
Radio Begum was run by a team of women and from2022 it was supported by the International Programme for the Development of Communication. The funding allowed for forty extra women to be trained.[2] and it's approach was to conform to the rules in order that they could continue to transmit to the women of Afghanistan.[3] It has been estimated that the radio station is listened to by around half a million people via twelve transmitters.[2]
In 2024 Aman's inspirational work was recognised by the BBC when she was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women.[5]
