Taliban ban women from sports clubs and parks in Afghanistan
Boxer Sadef Rahimi (Photo by Mònica Bernabé 2012)
KABUL, November 11, 2022 - After banning women from going to parks, the officials of the Taliban's Ministry of Order and Prohibition announced a ban on women going to sports clubs or gyms on Thursday, November 10. This is the latest update threatening the freedom of women in since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan.
The spokesman of this ministry, Mohammad Akif Muhajir, said that the Taliban tried their best not to close sports clubs, parks and gyms for women in the last 15 months, but that people did not care about the orders issued for the separation between women and men. He added that The women also did not observe the hijab as ordered.
"We tried very hard to provide the women with the opportunity to go to the parks, in the way that the Sharia has allowed, but unfortunately, the owners of the parks did not cooperate in this regard. and women didn't pay any attention either, so they stopped for now," said Mohammad Akif Muhajir.
This Taliban official also added that many times men and women were seen together in the parks and that the women did not wear scarves or did not respect the proper hijab, so the group was forced to decide to close the parks.
Afghanistan's female athletes are very upset with this decision of the Taliban and say that now they cannot become the best athletes in the future.
“I had a hope to play in international competitions, in difficult situations I used to go to the club to practice, but now the club has been closed by the Taliban and I cannot practice anymore.” said boxing club student, Aisha.
The Taliban came to power in August 2021, but no country or organization has yet recognized the government of this group.
The disregard for human rights and especially the rights of women and girls and minorities, closing schools for girls above the sixth grade, and preventing women from working in some institutions are part of what the international community isolates the Taliban and keeps away from the interaction.
The international community has said that if the Taliban seek to gain international legitimacy, they must change their policy towards women.
Some of the owners of the parks say that children without mothers do not visit the parks and there is concern that the parks will be closed due to a lack of people.
Officials of sports clubs say that 50 percent of their activities have stopped and with the new decision of the Taliban government, they will completely close their clubs.
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