Zan Times is an exiled media organization led by Afghan women.
In August 2022, a group of Afghan journalists led by Zahra Nader founded Zan Times with a mission to report human rights violations in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Zan Times works with a network of Afghan journalists both inside Afghanistan and in exile and is composed of a diverse team that speak in Farsi, Pashto, Uzbek and English.
Zan Times has covered sexual abuse of women in Taliban prisons and the rise of suicide among young women as the result of the Taliban policies. At a time when the Taliban have banned girls and women from schools and universities, Zan Times provides online journalism training for Afghan women journalists in Afghanistan.
Since its inception, Zan Times is raising global awareness about the most severe women’s rights crisis of our time by partnering with international media organizations such as: The Guardian, The Fuller Project, Courrier International, Women’s eNews, Nadja, Impact, Lighthouse Reports, Afghan Witness, Avvenire.it, More to Her Story, Himal Southasian and the Indian Express. In just three years, Zan Times’s journalism has been cited, translated or republished in more than 15 languages in 25 countries across the globe. Zan Times is becoming the most trusted source of information on Afghanistan.
Our work has been recognized with a Human Rights Press Award, the Johann-Philipp-Palm Award, the Pen2Pen and the Women’s Prize for Journalism. In 2025, a Zan Times journalist who reports from inside Afghanistan won a IWMF’s Courage in Journalism award.
Since its founding, Zan Times has been funded by individual donations and small grants. To secure and sustain our news organization into the future, we are now focused on growing support from readers as well as philanthropic support from foundations, major donors, and sponsorships.
Our Mission
Zan Times is a women-led investigative newsroom that documents and exposes human rights violations in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Our trauma-informed journalism empowers Afghan journalists, especially women, to tell the stories of the most vulnerable and hold those in power accountable.
Our Vision
We envision an Afghanistan where every person — regardless of gender, identity, or belief — can live with freedom, dignity, and equal rights, in a society where women and LGBTQ+ people have the power to speak, be heard, and shape their future.
How can you help us?
Taking on the Taliban and documenting their crimes is not easy and it’s certainly not cheap. It takes a dedicated team of journalists who risk their lives to uncover the truth. And it requires funding to make this vital work possible.
At Zan Times, we hold a strong moral line: we never ask journalists inside Afghanistan to volunteer their labour. We pay them. And we pay them fairly. We believe journalism should be valued, and every contribution must be meaningfully recognized.
Here are two ways you can support our mission:
By donating $10 or more each month, you help make Zan Times sustainable. With our readers supporting our work, we can redefine journalism in Afghanistan and ensure that women’s voices are heard, protected, and empowered.
Awareness begins with knowledge. When you know what’s happening to women and girls in Afghanistan, you’re more likely to take action. That’s why we offer our weekly newsletter for free — delivered every Friday to keep you informed and engaged.
Want to help in other ways?
We’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us anytime at info@zantimes.com.
