The Launch of a Women’s Radio Station in the City of Herat, Afghanistan

Throughout today’s society, media contributes to almost everyone’s daily life. From informative news channels to comical television shows, media proves to be effective in advertisement, releasing messages and informing the audience. Although media proves to be wildly effective in advertising, releasing messages and informing the audience, periodically destructive and misleading messages are provided to the audience and directly influencing women. Cultural critics widely agree that media tends to negatively influence women and all the critics point to research which supports the belief that women are portrayed as subordinate to men, having no

Education is one of the most important contributors to having a successful future. In developed countries such as North America boys and girls are fortunate enough to have access to an unbiased education system. Therefore, allowing children to have countless opportunities. However, in countries like Afghanistan girls are marginalized and neglected the right to learn. Afghanistan is a country of war, where women and girls are often the worst victims. In 2011, Afghanistan was known as the most dangerous place in the world for a girl to be born (Kissane). Malala Yousufzai, a female education activist was also a victim of war. Yousufazi was shot in the head and neck for advocating for girls and their rights to have access to education. Similarly, to Yousufzai many women in Afghanistan stand up for their entitlement to having equality. Those courageous women often become victims of abuse and are often killed. Investing in girls’ education is critical, not only is it life-altering for a girl’s future, but it’s also poses benefits to society. By allowing Afghan girls access to educating we are also promoting better socioeconomic s, a reduction in child marriages, and an improvement in mortality rates.

media in today’s society and culture. The documentary is arguing that women in the media are not

Today in the post –Taliban era, women still struggle with their rights. Resolutions were produced and rights for women have advanced since September 11th but in order to move forward, much work needs to be done. Hundreds of years of repression for Afghan women will take a lot longer than a few years to actually revolutionize. There is violence towards women that are not practicing traditions customs and fear retaliations from the Taliban. Customs are difficult to change as well as government policies. (Bora Laskin Law). In Afghanistan, religious and cultural values, politics, and an uncertain acting government have played a major part in the struggle for women’s rights.

Media, one of the most influential reflections of culture, under represents women and displays them in stereotypical positions. Paula Lobo and Rosa Cabecinhas, Professors of Communication at University of Minho, highlight sex-discrimination within the media in

Gender and the Media by Rosalind Gill addresses gender stereotypes that are brought onto women and men through the media resulting in objectification and subjectification. Gill discusses how the representation of gender is altered as a result of the media in Western societies. Gender and the Media is aimed to address the rapid transmission of media and how those changes affect the construction of feminine and masculine gender roles in society. Gill uses her interest in the contradictions of gender construction by society, to analyze gender and the media. Using feminism as a backbone for her research, Gill and many commentators support the idea that feminist ideas are common and may even affect the media. Gender and the Media addresses multiple forms of media: postfeminism in advertising, gender in the news and journalism, and gender in magazines. Gild aims to address the construction of gender representations, elements for gender analysis, and feminist culture with Gender and the Media.

Before reading The Underground Girls of Kabul I assumed women in Afghanistan had at least some semblance of a meaningful life. I assumed female children had the opportunity to go to school. I assumed they were treated on a human level, and I assumed there was hope for equality in the not too distant future. None of these things seem to be the case. For the majority of women in Afghanistan your life is pre-determined from the moment you are born. “The ownership of an Afghan girl is literally passed on from one male—her father—to the one who becomes her husband. He will take over the ruling of her life, down to the smallest details if he is so inclined.”(Page 44).

Burek explains how the role of women in the media contributed to the increasing role of women in society, especially in the political world and their place in working towards gender equality. Women in the media today are still portrayed negatively, as men dominate the world of media. Again working towards gender equality, Jennifer Ann Burek quotes feminist author Susan Schultz Huxman, as Huxman writes about the impact of women in the media in her examination of The Woman’s Journal, in her essay, “Perfecting the Rhetorical Vision of Women’s Rights.” She explains that the role of women in the media particularly in The Woman’s Journal “broadened intellectual horizons,” “groomed confident, public communicators,” “and demonstrated sophisticated writing and

In earlier chapter we talked about the role media play in constructing gender roles and

Miss representation, a documentary film produced by Jennifer Siebel Newsom and based on sexism in American society and the media, is outlined to inform the audience about the problems women face in the media field. This documentary film paints an ungrateful appreciation towards women who give their time and devotion to the media industry. As the documentary film “Miss Representation” discusses various issues of gender inequality such as the lack of women in the political field which impacts women in the media drastically. The documentary “Miss Representation” elucidates how Jennifer Siebel Newsom the producer persuades the audience to surmise how

The role of gender in development does not play equally at all levels in Afghanistan. For example in household activities women have the most responsibilities but they hold very few limited positions out of home, like teaching at school. Most of positions are captured by men and the role of women in main positions not as remarkable as men. For example men have been the key players for peace building and development in Afghanistan during the 40 years war. They dominate formal and main positions as fighter, peace keepers, peace negotiators, politicians, directors and leaders. Women often are the worst affected by conflicts and wars, while they don’t play an important role as the central in the fight for peace (Peace building initiative, 2008).

The message that was presented in the video “Miss Representation” was that the media is a powerful tool to shape the world. However, the media has been utilized not for the benefit of human being instead in the most negative way that anyone can possibly think of. It has indeed shape the representation of women globally in this generation. It degenerated the name of woman and what they are capable in this world whether they are use for political, and/or economical. The trailer for Miss Representation presented this powerful message through the usage of a video of selected people being interviewed about feminism and the cruelty that they endure during the twentieth century. This highly sensitive message in the video of Miss representation is

Women are not required to wear burkas and may travel without a male relative and school attendance is up.” ( ) Although many policies have been in place to have the Afghan women’s rights in mind the practice of these policies are miles away. How do you enforce these policies in a country ran by males and strong on tradition? If women had a real representation in the decision making process it would help in the implementation of the many policies that women have been fighting for, for over 30 plus

This essay will discuss women in the media in Kuwait. It is very important to define media to allow better understanding of the power and benefits women gained from the media. Women role was different in pre-oil period and after oil discovery. Education made significant differences in Kuwaiti women lives. They entered Media holding bachelors degrees and PhDs and insisted to fight until they won their social and political rights. In addition, in appreciation for their efforts I wrote the biographies of some powerful media women in Kuwait.

The key research question of ‘Gender Roles in Media’ is to analyze gender roles to determine how women are represented in an array of media and how they are portrayed in a sexualized manner. The study was published in 2010 and 2011 by Rudy et al in two issues of Sex Roles. The research suggests that an increase in representing women in media can be worthy provided they bear in mind that the way women are depicted is positive in order to alleviate negative connotations. The research queries if media can affect the mindset of viewers in a negative or positive manner.