Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, says the Taliban have barred women and girls from participating in sports over the past five years.
Bennett said in his latest report on Monday, September 7, that Afghan women have a long history of participating in sports, but their participation was banned after the Taliban took power.
According to the report, many female athletes have been forced to leave Afghanistan to continue their professional careers.
Bennett added that these athletes are also working to participate in international competitions as representatives of Afghanistan and to gain recognition.
The UN Special Rapporteur said the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls have affected various other aspects of their lives in addition to sports.
