The Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS) is an NGO which works to support independent radio with a portable suitcase-sized radio system. Its first partner station was Radio Rabi’a Balkhi in Mazar e Sharif, a female-run community station launched in 2003, which now transmits between two and three hours each day. Since that time it has helped two other independent radio stations to get off the ground.

IMPACS is also involved in legal work with the media. Working closely with the Journalists’ Union of Afghanistan, it has hired a lawyer and is preparing to publish bulletins to raise awareness of issues connected with media law. The Journalists' Union was initiated during the Soviet regime and has been revived with the assistance of media NGO Article 19. One of the issues under scrutiny is the system of making laws. There is currently no consultative process and new laws are discussed only in secret government meetings prior to being adopted. This practice has already caused a furore afterwards in a number of instances. The legal system in Afghanistan may mirror many international systems but the highest court operates under Sharia Law, the interpretation of which may or may not agree with international conventions.

The western idea of journalism as a free and independent media is still in the future, say many. The current belief and training in the universities is that a journalist should write the words of the speaker. Needless to say, in a country where one journalist who asked pointed questions about human rights was beaten up and told to get out of town, self-censorship is rife and fear governs journalistic writings. This patriarchal society relies on the goodwill of journalists to paint a rosy picture of leaders’ work. Recently a journalist who published an article confronting government policies was put in jail. When the incident was reported to Dr Hamid Karzai, he took steps to free the offending journalist. It is hoped that the newly re-established Union of Journalists will advocate media reform, promote debate and discussion and adopt a voluntary code of ethics and procedures.

The huge number of newspapers and magazines contributes to diversity and promotes discussion. Afghan society is on the cusp of a flood of information. Phone lines are being reinstalled, cell phone companies are appearing and the Internet is becoming popular, albeit thus far only in Kabul. This revolution in technology will bring the world to Afghanistan and enable Afghan journalists to communicate with their colleagues overseas. The belief that the citizens have a right to information is not one that has been supported in Afghanistan before. The rise of literacy and the proliferation of print media and radio will lead to a change in viewpoint. Whether this will create a backlash remains to be seen.