Najiba Ayubi is a distinguished journalist, human rights defender and peace activist with over two decades of experience. She has dedicated her career to covering news stories in Afghanistan, often under threats and attacks from state and not state actors for her reporting on socio-politics and human rights issues.
As the Managing Director of The Killid Group, Ms. Ayubi led a diverse team of reporters working across print, broadcast, and online media. The Killid Group publishes two of Afghanistan’s most popular magazines, Killid Weekly and Mursal Weekly, and operates eleven radio stations reaching a combined audience of 12 million listeners along with about 100 affiliated radios. She is known for her staunch refusal to censor content and her passion for independent media.
Ms. Ayubi co-founded the Afghan Independent Media Consortium and the Freedom of Expression Initiative, providing crucial resources and support for independent journalists in Afghanistan. Her commitment to journalistic integrity and bravery in the face of adversity earned her the International Women’s Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award in 2013. In 2014, she was recognized by Reporters Without Borders as one of the first-ever 100 Information Heroes. Additionally, she received the Press Freedom Prize from the Swedish Section of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Najiba Ayubi is proficient in managing editorial content, including magazines, booklets, brochures, and news articles, as well as digital media (websites, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). She oversees the production and broadcasting of radio programs that cover a wide range of topics, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, transitional justice, social protection, and domestic violence.
She is the head of the Afghanistan chapter of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT). Ms. Ayubi is also the author of “Shadow In The Dark,” which depicts the harsh realities of life for Afghan women and girls.
Najiba directed the documentary “Dar Edama e-Raah (The Ongoing Path),” highlighting the challenges faced by women journalists in Afghanistan over the past 100 years.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ebn-e-Sina University and has completed Middle and Top Management Courses at Cranfield University in the UK. She is also a graduate of the Peace Journalism Certificate Course from Oslo Metropolitan University.
