India, March 16 -- In a country where official policy has literally erased the presence of women, the existence of Zan Times is proof of subversion-and resistance. The exiled media organisation led by Afghan women was set up in August 2022 with a "mission to report human rights violations in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan".

Over nearly four years, Zan Times has worked with over 130 journalists and writers inside Afghanistan as well as those in exile. Many who report cannot use their real names for fear of imprisonment, or even death. In 2025, the Courage in Journalism award by the International Women's Media Foundation went to "Sana Atef". It is not her real name and she can never be named.

Zan Times has reported on what it means to be ...