UN official backs call for FIFA action on gender oppression in Afghanistan

A special rapporteur for the UN has endorsed Afghanistan’s national women’s football team, who calls on athletes from all over the world to show their solidarity in their struggle to be eliminated from World Cup qualifying events since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.

Many of the team’s members emigrated from the country at the time because they feared persecution.

Due to FIFA regulations that require national federations recognition, and the Taliban-controlled Afghan Football Federation that forbids women from playing, the women’s team has since been unable to compete internationally.

The Taliban claims that it adheres to Islamic law’s and local customs’ interpretation of women’s rights and that local issues should be resolved.

Mursal Sadat, the captain of the Afghan national team, highlighted the importance of global cooperation in the fight for gender equality in sport at a press conference hosted by the Sports &amp, Rights Alliance on Tuesday.

It’s time for us to unite together, if there is one thing I would ask of the athletes from all over the world. And it’s about time that women back other women, she said.

Because you guys have a voice to use and that platform to be used, it would give us a lot of inspiration and support.

Even a short video posted by athletes on social media would, according to Sadat, represent Afghans’ collective resistance to gender-based violence.

UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, stated on Wednesday that he supported Afghan women footballers’ calls for FIFA to step up.

Sports & Rights Alliance has urged FIFA to take a strong stand against gender oppression and allow Afghan women footballers who are exiled from international competition to play there, Bennett wrote on X.

Khalida Popal, the former national team’s founder, stated that the players are merely seeking cooperation from the international body of football.

Because we are not fighting against FIFA or any other organization, Popal said, “our platform is sport – together with everyone, with the media, with individuals, with organizations, with governing bodies, with the media, with the media, with the public, with governing bodies, and with us.”

“We want to work together to find the best solutions by using Afghanistan as an example to ensure that other countries and other countries don’t face the same challenges that we have.”