Afghan Journalists Safety Committee

What Afghan Journalists Safety Committee does

The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) is a Kabul-based non-profit organization dedicated to protecting press freedom and supporting journalists operating in Afghanistan's high-risk media environment. Founded in the early-to-mid 2010s, AJSC delivers a portfolio of direct-response services to journalists facing threats, violence, detention, or economic hardship. Its core service lines include a 24-hour emergency hotline, financial assistance, legal aid referrals, and psychosocial support, delivered by a lean in-house staff of approximately 12 employees and supplemented through provincial coordinators.

Underpinning service delivery is an in-house data mapping and case-management platform that tracks incidents of violence against journalists and operates complaint portals accessible to media workers in multiple provinces. The organization also convenes Journalists' Media Coordination Groups (JMGCs) across a significant share of Afghanistan's provinces, runs advocacy and access-to-information programming, and delivers training to journalists and media managers. Leadership is anchored by Director Dr. Najib Sharifi and Head of Advocacy Siddiqullah Tawhidi.

AJSC's business model is grant-based and non-commercial. Revenue is derived from international donor funding sourced through partnerships with international press-freedom and media-development organizations — Article 19, CPJ, Freedom House, IMS, Reporters Sans Frontières, Rory Peck Trust, and the Journalist Injury Compensation Committee (JICC) are named partners. Beneficiary "customers" are individual Afghan journalists and media outlets, while the de facto paying customers are international donors. Geographic footprint is nationwide, with documented provincial activity in 2026 spanning at least 19 provinces across multiple programming tracks.

Name

Afghan Journalists Safety Committee

Legal name

Afghan Journalists Safety Committee

Website

https://ajsc.af

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) is a Kabul-based non-profit providing emergency hotline services, financial aid, legal referrals, psychosocial support, and advocacy programs for journalists and media workers in Afghanistan's high-risk environment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Journalist Safety Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Telecommunications & Connectivity (ETC) (BPADADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive/Board Security Advisory & Risk Briefings (BPAKADAK), Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF), Public Safety Communications / 911 Telecommunicator Training (EDAOAMAH)

Keywords

• Journalist safety support
• Press freedom advocacy
• Emergency hotline services
• Media worker protection
• Safety training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kabul

HQ country

Afghanistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. International Donor Funding: Funded by international organizations and donors focused on press freedom and journalist safety, including Article 19, CPJ, Freedom House, IMS, RSF, and Rory Peck Trust

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AJSC delivers direct support services to journalists and media workers in Afghanistan, including a 24/7 emergency hotline, financial assistance, legal aid, and psychosocial counseling, alongside training programs in war reporting, cybersecurity, and anti-sexual harassment. The organization complements these services with advocacy through Joint Media-Government Committees in 15+ provinces, digital incident-tracking tools, and an annual Journalism Safety Index.

Product overview

The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) operates a comprehensive support ecosystem for journalists in Afghanistan. The organization provides a unified platform combining emergency response services (hotline, financial, legal, and psychosocial support) with proactive training programs (war reporting, cyber security, anti-harassment) and data-driven tools (data mapping, complaint systems). AJSC's core services are delivered through its website with specialized sub-portals for data mapping and complaints, supported by publications including the Journalism Safety Index and Peace Journalism Manual.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Support Hotline 24/7 emergency hotline (+93 (0) 706-55-60-60) providing immediate assistance to journalists in crisis situations across Afghanistan.
• Financial Assistance Program Provides monetary support to journalists facing financial hardship due to threats, violence, or displacement related to their work; 236 journalists received financial support.
• Legal Support Service Offers legal aid and representation to journalists facing legal challenges, lawsuits, or persecution for their reporting activities; 23 cases of legal support delivered.
• Psychosocial Support Program Mental health and psychological support services including psychological advising and psychotherapy for trauma-affected journalists; 141 psychosocial support cases delivered.
• War Reporting Training Specialized training program equipping journalists with skills for safe and effective conflict zone reporting.
• Cyber Security Training Training program focused on digital security, protecting journalists' online communications, data, and sources from cyber threats.
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Training Training covering work-related harassment and online harassment targeting journalists, including prevention and response strategies.
• Data Mapping Platform Online platform (datamapping.ajsc.af) for mapping and tracking data related to journalist safety incidents and media challenges across Afghanistan.
• Access to Information Complaint System Online portal (complaint.ajsc.af) for filing complaints related to access to information violations.
• Violence Cases Complaint System Online portal (complaint.ajsc.af/cases) for reporting and tracking violence cases against journalists and media workers.
• Peace Journalism Manual Published manual providing guidelines and frameworks for journalists practicing peace-oriented journalism.
• Journalism Safety Index Annual index measuring and ranking the safety conditions for journalists in Afghanistan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 236 journalists received financial support
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Article 19coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization specializing in freedom of expression. AJSC lists Article 19 as a partner organization, suggesting collaboration on press freedom advocacy and journalist protection initiatives.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobally recognized journalist protection organization. Partnership indicates coordination on journalist safety, emergency response, and advocacy for press freedom in Afghanistan.
• Freedom HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based organization promoting democracy and freedom. Partnership suggests collaboration on press freedom monitoring, advocacy, and journalist safety programs in Afghanistan.
• International Media Support (IMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish media development organization supporting journalist safety and media freedom. IMS likely provides funding, technical assistance, and programmatic support to AJSC operations.
• Journalism in Crisis Coalition (JICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of organizations responding to journalism in crisis situations. Partnership indicates coordinated emergency response and support for journalists in dangerous situations.
• Reporters without Borders (RSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO dedicated to defending freedom of information. RSF partnership suggests collaboration on press freedom advocacy, journalist protection, and awareness campaigns.
• The Rory Peck TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based charity supporting freelance journalists worldwide. Partnership indicates support for freelance journalists in Afghanistan with safety training, grants, and emergency assistance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Freedom House: US-based organization promoting democracy and press freedom globally. Strategic partner of AJSC with overlapping portfolio of press freedom monitoring, advocacy, and support for journalists in restrictive environments.
• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch organization supporting independent journalism and press freedom in countries with restricted media environments. Operates a comparable safety and capacity-building portfolio for journalists in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
• Index on Censorship: UK-based organization advocating for freedom of expression and supporting journalists and writers facing censorship threats. Comparable beneficiary base and advocacy-driven support model to AJSC.
• Reporters without Borders: International NGO dedicated to defending freedom of information and protecting journalists worldwide. RSF is a strategic partner of AJSC and operates a comparable model of press freedom advocacy, emergency response, and journalist safety grants in conflict-affected regions.
• International Media Support: Danish media development organization funding journalist safety and media freedom programming. IMS is a core partner and donor of AJSC, operating comparable grant-making and capacity-building models in fragile states.
• Article 19: International organization specializing in freedom of expression and information rights. Listed as a core partner of AJSC, providing legal advocacy and policy support with comparable beneficiary focus on journalists and media workers.
• Rory Peck Trust: UK-based charity providing practical support, grants, and training to freelance journalists worldwide. Listed as a core partner of AJSC with directly comparable beneficiary focus and service model.
• International Federation of Journalists: Global federation of journalists' unions and associations providing safety training, emergency support, and press freedom advocacy. Operates a comparable protective services portfolio to AJSC at a global scale with regional affiliates.
• Committee to Protect Journalists: A globally recognized journalist protection organization that documents press freedom violations, advocates for journalists at risk, and provides emergency support. Listed as a core partner of AJSC and serves the same beneficiary population with overlapping protective services.

Broad incumbents

• Internews: Global media development nonprofit operating across health, environment, and human rights communications. Broader in scope than AJSC but operates in overlapping geographies and supports independent journalism in fragile states.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ajsc_afg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afghan-journalists-safety-committee-%DA%A9%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%AA%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%BA%D8%A7%D9%86

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Afghan Journalists Safety Committee