A new magazine - For the modern woman of Kabul

THE women of Afghanistan now have their own magazine, backed by Elle, a stylish French publication. But the more conservative forces in the country need not worry, at least not yet. The 36-page monthly does not feature the latest bikini collection or tips on liposuction. The magazine, called Roz (the Day), is printed in black and white, the best that Afghan technology can provide at the moment. The articles, in Pushtu and Dari—the main Afghan idioms—with some translated into French and English, offer advice on daily life, health, hair and skin care, and parenting. There is some poetry and fiction, and the unavoidable horoscope.

Following the fall of the Taliban, a group of Afghan women led by Lailoma Ahmadi, a former radio journalist, planned the magazine, but had no money. Over the years Elle has run many articles on Afghan women. Now it and its parent company, Hachette Filipacchi, have provided Miss Ahmadi and her team with publishing equipment and the money to get things moving. She has a staff of four and some freelance contributors. The first issue of 1,500 copies, published this month, was free. Future ones will cost the equivalent of 20 cents.

The market at present is small. Afghans are poor: 20 cents buys two loaves of bread. Eight Afghan women out of ten cannot read. But, says Miss Ahmadi, at least the two who can now have something written for them.

As a guy, I find most "women's magazines", well, baffling.

That being said, however, I am firmly convinced it is the female of the species that is responsible for most of the economic and social development from the get-go. Guys would have been happy in the trees, but the women were probably, "Ooh, look at that nice cave. Why don't you get your lazy butt off that tree limb and arrange these boulders over there so we can sit and talk over breakfast?" Once guys got settled in the caves, the women were probably like "ooh, I heard Martha's Oog built her a nice little awning with leaves and everything!"

And look at today. I'm happy wearing the same style shirt (well, actually the same shirt) for years. But women's fashion changes, well, sometimes 5 times in the same half hour. That keeps the wheels of commerce spinning.

OK, enough of my lame attempt at humor. What I mean by all this is that I think the women of Afghanistan (and the rest of Islam) are key to bringing those countries out of the stone age. Under regimes like the Taliban, they are repressed and often brutalized. If there is any way we can help them, I think we will find them able recruits in the fight for liberty and democracy. Just like we forged alliances with the Afghan warlords, we need to form alliances with the daughters and mothers of Afghanistan. Pressuring the new government to open up jobs and schooling. Helping the Afghani women spread the word to the oppressed women in other Islamic nations. If efforts like this magazine help in that regard, I'm all for it.

I'm a gal, and it's been years since I've purchased any woman's magazine. When I can find one that isn't full of PC propaganda, I'll get it.

Wait, I take that back - I have a subscription to Dr. Laura's Perspective - only one that I can find that makes sense.

(PS - I did join the NRA about 6 months ago even though I don't own a firearm yet and I get their magazine!)

Your humor (and the very effective point it makes) is now in the email pipeline. That was a really effective use of humor....move over, Dave Barry.

And yeah, those Afghani women take off the tents, get in shape, get sexy looking for their guys...those guys are not spending all their time in the local cave planning really nasty stuff anymore.

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