IOM this week inaugurated an upgraded Radio Television Afghanistan
(RTA) radio station and a media centre in Qal-i-Naw in the western
province of Badghis.

With funding from the Spanish government, IOM's Literacy
Campaign and Radio Broadcasting Programme installed an AM
transmitter and a fully equipped studio, allowing the new station
to broadcast to every Badghis district. The FM signal of the old
station could only reach three districts.

"This is one of the most important projects implemented in the
province in a long time. RTA is now able to broadcast in districts
on the border between Herat (to the south) and Turkmenistan (to the
north)," said Said Aga Erfaq, Badghis' Director for Culture and
Information.

Badghis is one of Afghanistan's most remote provinces.
Illiteracy, maternal and infant mortality rates are among the
highest in the world. 

As part of the programme, IOM trained female journalists and
supported programming designed to increase basic health awareness
among women, particularly in rural areas. The media centre, located
within the radio station, will make media production facilities
available to women for the first time.  

Najia Majaheed, who will lead the group of female journalists,
noted: "The fact that we will have a room dedicated to female
journalists will give us freedom and space to do our work. I hope
the station will give us an opportunity to promote the rights of
women and continue to report on health issues. Radio is the best
medium to reach out to people in remote districts."

IOM also completed a literacy and basic health campaign through
classroom-based courses and road shows. The campaign reached some
1,600 women in 40 villages. During these events, women in rural
areas were also informed about the RTA upgrading and given a total
of 700 radio sets.

IOM is currently seeking additional funding to build on the
success of the project, with a view to continuing to contribute
towards women's empowerment, particularly in communities hosting a
large number of migrants.

For further information, please contact:

Olga Prorovskaya

IOM Kabul

Tel + 93 (0) 708 288172

E-mail: "mailto:oprorovskay@iom.int">oprorovskay@iom.int

or

Katsui Kaya

Tel. +93 (0) 700 185961

E-mail: "mailto:kkaya@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">kkaya@iom.int