Roadside bombs. Opium poppies. Machine guns. Most images of Afghanistan that reach the Western world tell a story of intractable conflict and chaos – but to the 30 million people who call Afghanistan home, war is only one piece of the puzzle.
Some Western journalists have tried to put together a more complete picture of the complexities of human development in Afghanistan, braving the challenges of reporting from one of the world’s most difficult regions. Stories on maternal and child health, rural employment, community governance and girls’ education rarely make international headlines, but they are some of the most pressing issues facing Afghans today – and without progress in these and other areas, prospects for long-term peace are poor.
To share their experiences of reporting from Afghanistan, Aga Khan Foundation Canada is pleased to welcome Edward Girardet, author of Killing the Cranes: A Reporter’s Journey Through Three Decades of War in Afghanistan, freelance writer and broadcaster Naheed Mustafa, and Toronto Star reporter Paul Watson, for a panel discussion on the challenges of reporting on human development in Afghanistan.
Ismailimail 