Women’s rights activists call for England to forfeit championship cricket match to Afghanistan

England’s men’s cricket team is set to face Afghanistan on Feb. 26 in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy group stage.

However, women’s rights activists have called for England to forfeit its shot glory out of protest for Afghanistan’s ongoing human rights abuses. The Women’s Rights Network (WRN) put out a statement on Tuesday, calling for not only the forfeiture of the February championship match, but any sports competition against an Afghanistan national team. 

“Women’s Rights Network calls for England to forfeit the match. In fact, we call on our politicians and sports governing bodies to go further. We call for: [UK Prime Minister] Keir Starmer to order a boycott of all Afghanistan fixtures in any sport, the [England Cricket Team] to forfeit all matches against the Afghanistan men’s cricket team in any tournament, players and coaches to examine their consciences – the women in your families are free to dress how they please, be educated, take jobs, travel, have bank accounts, speak and sing. How can you in all conscience play a country that denies women their basic human rights?” the group wrote. 

“Pride in the team shirt includes pride in your country’s record on standing up for human rights and against dictators who bask in the kudos of sporting success. What is happening to the women of Afghanistan is appalling. Any sportsman of conscience should do what is right: Boycott Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan has been under control of the Taliban since August 2021, after President Biden ordered a withdrawal of the U.S. military. The withdrawal resulted in the death of 13 U.S. armed service members, and the near-immediate takeover of the nation’s capital of Kabul by Taliban forces. Another 45 U.S. soldiers were harmed, and more than 170 Afghan civilians were killed as well.

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After the Taliban takeover of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, the nation’s economy “basically collapsed,” according to the UNDP, in large part because international funding through government donor plans, like the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, were shut down.

The Taliban takeover has resulted in particularly appalling treatment of women in the country. 

Under Sharia Law, women are not allowed to move around in public space unless they are in the company of a male relative. In general, they are only allowed to leave their house for urgent matters and have to wear full veils if they do.

In August, the Taliban rulers issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public under new laws approved by the supreme leader in efforts to combat vice and promote virtue.

Women are obliged to cover themselves in front of non-Muslim males and females to avoid being corrupted. A woman’s voice is deemed intimate and so should not be heard singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. It is forbidden for women to look at men they are not related to by blood or marriage and vice versa.

Women in Afghanistan have also been banned from attending secondary school and, since 2022 they have been banned from studying at all. There are some courses available to women via online teaching, but the female students are not allowed to take exams.

In July, a United Nations report said the ministry was contributing to a climate of fear and intimidation among Afghans through edicts and the methods used to enforce them. 

“Given the multiple issues outlined in the report, the position expressed by the de facto authorities that this oversight will be increasing and expanding gives cause for significant concern for all Afghans, especially women and girls,” said Fiona Frazer, the head of the human rights service at the UN mission in Afghanistan.

The Taliban rejected the UN report.

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