''Irshad-e Naswan'' ( prs, ارشاد نسوان, italic=yes, ) was a women's magazine issued in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

founded in 1921 being the first women's magazine in the country. The magazine was founded by Queen

Soraya Tarzi Soraya Tarzi (Pashto/Dari: ملکه ثريا; November 24, 1899 – April 20, 1968) was the first queen consort of Afghanistan as the wife of King Amanullah Khan. She played a major part in the modernization reforms of Amanullah Khan, particula ...

. It was founded as a part of the king and queen's modernization project to reform Afghan society, a policy which included the emancipation of women, and the ''Irshad-e Naswan'' as well as the first women's association

Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan ('Association for the Protection of Women') was a women's organization in Afghanistan, founded in 1928.Julie Billaud: Kabul Carnival: Gender Politics in Postwar Afghanistan' It was the first women's organization in Afghan ...

were both founded to support the state feminism of the royal government. The magazine was published weekly and ran articles "on the rights of women, child care, home economics and etiquette", social, political and international issues, women's rights but also fashion and household tips. It took up subject in women's issues and reform and has played a major pioneering role in the history of women in Afghanistan, and has been described as the first newspaper to enlighten women in Afghanistan. It was edited by the queen's mother,

Asma Rasmya Asma Rasmya or Asma Rasmiya Khanum (1877 – ?), was an Afghan editor, school principal and feminist. She has been referred to as the first female managing editor as well as the first female principal in Afghanistan. She was the mother of queen S ...

, who thus became the first female editor in Afghanistan, and queen Soraya herself occasionally contributed to it. King Amanullah Khan and Queen Soraya Tarzi were deposed in 1929. Their deposition from power was followed by a severe backlash on women's rights under their successor

Habibullah Ghazi Habibullah also spelled Habib Ullah, Habibollah, Habeeb-Allah etc. ( ar, حَبِيْبَُ ٱلله), is a male Muslim given name meaning in ''Beloved of God'', stemming from the male form of the name Habib. It may refer to: People *Raja Sir Ch ...

. The Women's Association Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan as well as ''Irshad-e Naswan'' was banned, the girls 'schools were closed, and the female students who had been allowed to study in Turkey was recalled to Afghanistan and forced to put on the veil and enter

purdah Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu , , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities. It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that wom ...

again.History of education in Afghanistan
/ref>

References

1921 in Afghanistan 1921 in women's history 1929 disestablishments in Afghanistan Defunct magazines Feminist magazines First-wave feminism Magazines established in 1921 Magazines disestablished in 1929 Weekly magazines Women's magazines Banned magazines History of women in Afghanistan {{italic title