Her living room is a far cry from the vibrant, lit movie sets she once loved, but Setaish Hayat says making YouTube videos at home is the best alternative in Afghanistan, where Taliban regulations increasingly restrict women to being indoors.
Hayat, 21, was an up-and-coming actress in local films and television until the Taliban took power in 2021 and began issuing pro-women decrees that included banning television dramas featuring actresses and ordering women to wear strict hijab while delivering the news.
Hayat now makes around 30 videos a month, on topics ranging from cooking, fashion, make-up to scenes with her family - making her one of the most successful of the growing number of women in Afghanistan who are turning to the internet for a living.
"We don't use any special equipment like cameras, lighting, cranes or expensive props. We record the programs on the phone," said Hayat, whose YouTube channel has 20 subscribers since it was founded last September.
In a situation where women's hands are tied when it comes to working in the media, YouTube channels are a good option, and thanks to that, I can also cover my living expenses.
She said she faced hostility for the channel so she wears a medical mask and sunglasses for her own safety when filming outside.
"It's a big challenge for girls and women who work outside their homes, especially those who appear in front of the camera and make YouTube content," Hyatt told Reuters. She declined to say how much she earns but said it is enough to support her family.
International sanctions have severely limited transactions with Afghan banks, so most YouTube content creators have friends abroad who funnel earnings through money transfer companies.
Hayat said most of her viewers are from the United States, Canada, Denmark and Australia, and she also has audiences in Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Taliban control
The Taliban have banned most women in Afghanistan from working for aid agencies and have closed beauty salons, putting tens of thousands of Afghan women out of work. They also banned women from visiting the parks and restricted travel without a male escort.
Most girls and women are prohibited from attending high school and universities.
"In a situation where women's hands are tied when it comes to working in the media, YouTube channels are a good option, and thanks to it, I can also cover my living expenses," said Maina Sadat, a former law student who started making videos for YouTube after she was banned from college.
The Taliban's sudden return to power upended two decades of Western efforts to boost economic opportunities for women. The Taliban claim to respect rights in accordance with Islamic law.
Fawzija Kufui, an Afghan women's rights activist who was wounded in the hand by the Taliban in 2020, said that YouTube channels not only provide income, but also serve as a means for women to send their message and share their experiences and aspirations.
"Every woman in Afghanistan has a mobile phone and is connected to the world. How can you stop an empowered generation," she asked from her home in London.
However, many women, including Hayat, fear the Taliban could shut down YouTube channels that do not have a license to broadcast from the Ministry of Information and Culture, which is mandatory for social media influencers and content creators.
"The Taliban are trying to impose an obligation on every YouTube channel that broadcasts in Afghanistan to have a license," said Shadab Gulzar, deputy head of the Afghanistan Federation of YouTubers.
"Once they are forced to have a license, they will be more under control and obliged to act in accordance with the signed agreements and obligations," he warned.
Survival
The Taliban assured the YouTubers that they had nothing to fear if they met the criteria for the license, which include a degree in journalism and three years of work experience - conditions that are very difficult for women who did not already study or work before the Taliban came to power. .
"Their announcements must not contradict the Islamic system and religious values, and they should refrain from religious or ethnic affiliation," said Abdulvahid Rajan, spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture.
"As for other aspects, including the content of their programs, their hands are free," he said, adding that the license costs 4000 Afghanis (about $56).
He said that although he does not know the exact number of YouTubers in Afghanistan, he knows that there are over 1000 YouTube channels, and 250 licenses have been issued.
Between 10 and 15 percent of Afghan YouTubers earn between 1500 and 2000 dollars a month, and a little more than half earn up to 500 dollars on average.
Gulzar said that YouTube channels have become a significant source of income for many women, and "most of them can cover their living expenses" thanks to the broadcasted content.
Between 10 and 15 percent of Afghan YouTubers earn between 1500 and 2000 dollars a month, and a little more than half earn up to 500 dollars on average, according to his data. These are decent sums in a country where, according to the World Bank, the GDP per capita is just over $350.
Women say that such jobs, which can be done from home, are the key to survival.
When Ayesha Niazi, a former television news anchor, and her husband were forced to quit journalism, they turned to YouTube for help supporting their young family.
"Being on screen in the current circumstances in Afghanistan carries a kind of risk ... but we had to do something to have an income," said Nikazi, who makes culture and history videos three times a week on YouTube and earns about $300 a month. .
"As a mother, I could not let my twins starve."
Translation: N. Bogetić
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