UN Women Stresses Afghan Women’s Right to Sport and Equal Opportunity
The United Nations Women has stressed the right of Afghan women and girls to play sports, as Taliban restrictions have barred them from sporting activities and affected various aspects of their lives.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Sept. 24, the agency said that when talking about women in sport, attention should focus on their skills, background, leadership and play. According to the agency, “equal play” only has meaning when women in sport are valued on the basis of their ability and performance.
UN Women also stressed the provision of equal opportunities for women and girls in sport. The statement comes as Afghan women have been unable to take part in many sporting fields since the Taliban returned to power.
Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, had earlier said that in the past five years the Taliban administration has barred women and girls from taking part in sporting activities. He added that these restrictions are not limited to sport and have affected various aspects of the lives of women and girls.
UN Women is the UN’s dedicated body for advancing women’s rights and empowerment around the world, and has repeatedly expressed concern about the situation of women in Afghanistan.
