The research project titled “violence against women in media and through media” is going to be done by DAWSCO as part of Promote project of Musharikat in three province “Herat, Kabul and Mazar e Sharif). The research would be conducted through interviews and focus group discussions. The interviews and focus group discussion have been conducted from 8-15 June in Herat city. We have done 20 interview with female employee of media organizations, female women rights activists, ten male including 5 employees and editors of media, and 5 ordinary people and women rights activists.

Interviews were conducted to do an in-depth overview the role of media in promoting and reducing the violence against women in the target societies. The research also aimed to evaluate the impact of media programs in increasing and decreasing the violence against women to recommend the solutions based on the information and experience of people.

Following the interviews, the focus group discussion have been conducted in Nai media institute. The focus group participants were: Civil society and women rights activists, representative from Musharikat project, the media advocacy, media activists, reporters, and the media authorities, representatives from directorate of information and culture, and directorate of women affairs.

In the focus group session we have provided and introduction to promote project, DAWSCO. We have also discussed about the goal of the research project which is about promoting violence against women through media, the type of violence applied through media, the impact of media programs in society, violence against women in media organization, the causes and the effects of the issue.

In the ending session, we have received suggestions of participants about the improvement of media programs, eradication of violence through media, and the method of advocacy. The recommendation were mostly about the improvement of media programs, monitoring of broadcasting policy, especially the programs which has more impact on women, facilitating and giving management role form female staff in media organization, professional capacity building programs for producers, doubling the programs which are aimed to reduce and eradicate the violence against women, establishing an advocacy group for media violations, monitoring the content  and quality of media programs by relevant governmental authorities, and recruitment of professionals in the media organizations.

In the end, we have prepared a summary of meeting for the discussion, views, and opinions of the participants. Three programs including serials, comedies, and religious programs which are presented by those who have not in-depth knowledge about the religion are listed as top 3 violent programs which are promoting he violence against women.