AFGHANISTAN: Afghan women reveal the beauty under the burqa on a local television show

Record ID: 792935

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: Afghan women reveal the beauty under the burqa on a local television show
  • Date: 8th October 2007
  • Summary: (ASIA) KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF A MOSQUE IN KABUL AFGHAN CLERIC ABDUL RAOUF, SITTING AT THE MOSQUE (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) CLERIC ABDUL RAUOF SAYING: "According to the sharia, Islam is absolutely against this (modeling), not only it is banned by Islamic sharia but if we apply sharia law and take this issue to the justice these girls should be punis
  • Embargoed: 23rd October 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Afghanistan
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: People,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVADMCJDF3YA1H7L5ISAPNTI6PEQ
  • Story Text: A model strutting the catwalk is hardly revolutionary in most countries, but Afghan television's answer to America's Next Top Model is breaking boundaries and reveals the beauty under the burqa.
    Nearly six years after the overthrow of the strict Islamist Taliban government, almost all women in deeply conservative Afghanistan still only appear in public wafting past in the burqa's pale blue, their dark eyes only occasionally visible behind the bars of its grille.
    But in the relatively liberal northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, a local television station has started to show a different image of Afghan women with a extremely low-budget to take on the hit U.S. show, America's Next Top Model.

    "Afghanistan needs to have such programmes, we have peace now, we want to develop our country, we want to prove that today we can have model shows with girls and boys, not only for Afghanistan but internationally as well," said Sosan Soltani, the 18-year-old director of the programme.
    Four girls in brightly colored traditional costumes with baggy pants and long loose-fitting shawls and headscarves strode down the impromptu catwalk decked out in traditional Afghan rugs.
    Seemingly less confident than their Western counterparts, they avoided the gaze of the all-male film crew and press.
    A quick change later, the same four appeared in camouflage combat trousers, sneakers and embroidered smocks. Then came denim jeans, open-toed sandals and colorful lightweight jackets.
    Model Katayoun Timour is one of the models who visited the United States of America for a short term visit. She is also presenting at Arzu TV English service founded by a U.S project in the northern city Mazar-I Sharief.
    She said she wanted the outside world to see a different image of Afghan women.

    "I have seen outside that they have a different kind of idea about women in Afghanistan, they think that they are always wearing burqa and sitting at home but it is not like that. If you encourage girls and women they come, they are willing to come, they just need a programme, they just need a movement like to go forward, but there is nothing like that. This is a really small programme, there is just four girls or three girls, it is nothing but it is something that we should start from it," said 19-year-old model Katayoun Timour.
    None of this would be at all risqué in the West, but in Afghanistan, such attire can spark outrage, especially when broadcast on television.

    "According to the sharia, Islam is absolutely against this (modeling), not only it is banned by Islamic sharia but if we apply sharia law and take this issue to the justice these girls should be punished according," said Afghan cleric Abdul Raouf.
    More than 10 other models due to take part in the programme failed to turn up after hearing that members of the international press would be present, fearing the wider broadcast of the show could lead to trouble for them, their friends said.
    Those who did brave the possible backlash were determined however.
    But on the streets of Mazar-i-Sharif, it was hard to find anyone who objected to the programme, especially among the young.

    "It is a good programme, people watch it and like it. Especially the female generation are keen to watch this programme, through this programme and the clothes they wear, they might be able to develop their country."
    said shopkeeper Ahmad Sear.
    NATO has about 35,000 troops in Afghanistan. Of the 26,000 U.S. troops there, 15,000 are dedicated to the NATO mission while the rest conduct counterterrorism operations. Britain has the second-largest presence, with about 7,000 troops.
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