Islamic Emirate’s Efforts to Enhance Access to Information

By: H.N The Islamic Emirate, aligned with Islamic principles, actively upholds freedom of expression and supports the media. Over the past three years, substantial efforts have been made to reinforce media activity within the country, streamline journalists’ access to reliable information, and increase awareness of the government’s strategic initiatives and policies among both the Afghan […]

By: H.N

The Islamic Emirate, aligned with Islamic principles, actively upholds freedom of expression and supports the media. Over the past three years, substantial efforts have been made to reinforce media activity within the country, streamline journalists’ access to reliable information, and increase awareness of the government’s strategic initiatives and policies among both the Afghan public and the international community.
Over the past three years, notable strides have been achieved across political, economic, infrastructural, and developmental sectors. Information relevant to these areas has been systematically shared with the media and the public through a structured and efficient mechanism. This ongoing effort has expedited the information flow, strengthened media activities, effectively filled gaps in media dissemination, and provided citizens with access to comprehensive updates on government actions.
Among the pivotal initiatives enhancing access to accurate information is the annual program highlighting government institutions’ achievements. Conducted each year under the directives of the Office of the Prime Minister, this program brings together senior officials from each government entity to present detailed annual reports, made accessible to both the media and the public. This program is broadcast live on Afghanistan’s National Radio and Television, as well as key private media channels, playing a constructive role in bolstering information dissemination and facilitating access to accurate information.
According to available statistics, in the past three years, a total of 123 press conferences were organized as part of this annual program to showcase government institutions’ accomplishments, with detailed reports and statistics transparently shared with the media.
Furthermore, to enhance the flow of information, accelerate reporting, facilitate journalists’ access to information, and explain government policies and vision, nearly 40 coordination meetings have been held with media representatives and journalists, solely within the Prime Minister’s Office (Arg). These meetings address various challenges comprehensively, aiming to resolve obstacles related to information access and strengthen cooperation between government entities and the media.
In addition, the Islamic Emirate has utilized all possible means to maintain a continuous, effective information-sharing process and to provide prompt responses to media inquiries. To this end, over the past three years, 246 press conferences and seven major news briefings have been organized exclusively from and or with the support of Arg to clarify major actions and projects. Moreover, the spokespersons of the Islamic Emirate and government institutions have recorded and shared 512 news clips, and around 50 exclusive interviews on critical topics have been conducted with both domestic and international media. Likewise, online and social media platforms, including Twitter and official websites, have been consistently used to disseminate information and facilitate public access.
In another effort to further professionalize and enhance media engagement and public communication, within the framework of Arg, professional training workshops were organized for government spokespersons. These workshops aim to accelerate and strengthen the information-sharing process and improve spokespersons’ interactions with the media. Over the past three years, seven rounds of training workshops were held for central and provincial spokespersons, which has led to increased media presence, strengthened information-sharing mechanisms, and improved representation of government actions and policies.
To further enhance transparency, an additional initiative has been the annual compilation and publication of comprehensive reports. Each year, relevant body at Arg gathers annual reports from government institutions, compiles them into a publication, and distributes it to the media, government entities, and the public. These publications enable the media and citizens to access and benefit from the content directly. Over the past three years, these annual reports have been widely printed and distributed, providing valuable resources for media coverage.
In addition to activities in Kabul, coordination meetings between media representatives and government officials are held in numerous provinces. These meetings aim to strengthen media activities and the information-sharing process at the provincial level.
The aforementioned actions underscore the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to supporting freedom of expression, facilitating information access, and fostering a productive environment for media activities. While challenges may persist, the past three years reveal a growing trend toward strengthened media activity, enhanced professionalism within government media and communication functions, and continued efforts to sustain an efficient, impactful information-sharing process to meet the nation’s needs for accessible and beneficial information.