Afghan women get their own magazine

The woman’s magazine “Roz” (Daylight) has just been launched in Kabul with the support of Hachette Filipacchi Médias,

whose decision to become involved with the project helped to make the magazine a reality. The world’s leading magazine publisher marshalled its magazine press expertise and international experience in aid of a charitable cause. ELLE magazine and its editorial staff set up the project, which was designed to give Afghan women a new source of information, knowledge and entertainment after years of silence and oppression.

ELLE magazine and its editorial staff set up the project, which was designed to give Afghan women a new source of information, knowledge and entertainment after years of silence and oppression.

A team from ELLE composed of journalists, a photographer and a layout artist spent several weeks in Afghanistan helping Afghan journalists to design and produce “Roz”. Now that they are back in France, the editorial staff offers its readers the chance to relive the images and highlights of this human adventure in its 15 April 2002 issue.

This mobilization of editorial staff is in keeping with the magazine’s tradition, ever since its creation, of supporting initiatives aimed at improving the conditions of women throughout the world. It also marks a new stage in the editorial staff’s commitment to the problems of Afghan women.
“Roz” was born one year after the publication of an ELLE issue devoted to Afghan women and featuring on its cover a woman wearing a chador.

A 36-page inaugural issue

“Roz” looks at a variety of topics, including culture, practical advice, services, beauty and fashion. The magazine is published in Dari and Pashto, the two main Afghan languages, and also contains French and English translations of some of these articles. ELLE shipped computers, printers, scanners and other equipment to the team in Afghanistan, which now includes five staff and several freelance journalists .

Long live Roz! Long live the Afghan press!