Afghan female television presenter. (Photo: http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Manager-of-private-TV-network-arrested-over-dancer%27s-skimpy-costume-14825.html)
The Ministry of Information and Culture on Monday asked all TV channels to avoid running commercial advertisements featuring female models.
In a statement, the ministry said women’s position and status was being misused in such ads aimed at enticing costumers. All media outlets were asked to avoid airing commercials that featured women.
Warned violators of legal action, the statement added: "All commercials in which women are used as decoration, fashion money-making tools in fact degrad the position of Afghan women."
The ministry said: "We ask all media (outlets) to avoid airing commercials that can lead to cultural distortions and spread vice or can push our youth into immorality."
Free media advocacy group NAI chief, Sadiqullah Tawhidi, told Pajhwok Afghan News they would support every action that was within the ambit of the relevant media law.
He explained 90 percent TV channels in Afghanistan relied on commercial ads. He said the ban on adverts featuring women would create economic problems for TV channels.
Member of Afghanistan’s Academy of Sciences, Akbar Jan Folad, welcomed the government’s stance. “Such ads draw strong reactions in remote areas, where people think the government has given a lot of freedom to women. In addition, the Taliban take advantage of these ads in their propaganda.”