Afghanistan, a land of rich cultural heritage and a proud cricketing tradition, has become a paradoxical destination for intrepid travellers. While specialist travel companies extol its breathtaking landscapes and storied history, the grim reality of life under the Taliban’s oppressive rule for Afghan women remains conspicuously absent from glossy itineraries.
Euphemisms masking gender apartheid
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, their systematic repression of women has escalated to unimaginable levels. Women have been denied education, employment, and freedom of movement, forced to cover themselves entirely, and even stripped of basic rights like accessing parks or speaking audibly in public. Recently, the Taliban issued a decree banning windows in homes overlooking areas where women might be seen, ostensibly to prevent “obscene acts.”
The edict underscores the Taliban’s obsession with controlling women while dismissing their humanity. Afghan women now live as prisoners in their own homes, with no access to education or healthcare and no visible role in public life. Yet, these horrifying realities are carefully avoided or softened by travel companies eager to market Afghanistan as a destination for “authentic adventure.”
Cricket diplomacy amid gender apartheid
While Afghan women suffer in silence, cricket remains a rare source of national pride. The Afghan men’s cricket team has gained international recognition, their success celebrated fervently by male Afghans. This enthusiasm is shared by international cricket authorities, who have resisted calls to boycott matches against Afghanistan.
Women’s rights organisations have likened Afghanistan’s gender apartheid to South Africa’s racial apartheid, urging similar sanctions. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has refrained from taking a stand. Even Jonathan Trott, the English coach of Afghanistan’s team, has avoided visiting the country, conducting his role from the UAE, where the team plays its “home” matches.
Cricket’s role in maintaining Afghanistan’s global connections has drawn criticism for enabling the Taliban to normalise their rule. Critics argue that by allowing Afghanistan to compete internationally, cricket authorities are tacitly endorsing a regime that blatantly disregards human rights.
Tourism amid tragedy
Despite the Taliban’s draconian measures, Afghanistan has seen a resurgence in tourism, with visitors lured by promises of “authentic experiences” and “untouched beauty.” Travel companies market the country as a cultural gem, skirting over the grim realities of gender apartheid.
Reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor reveal a chilling indifference to the plight of Afghan women. Tourists rave about the landscapes, architecture, and opportunities to interact with locals—conveniently ignoring the absence of women in public life. Some itineraries even present the Taliban as a cultural curiosity, offering travellers the chance to “chat” with members of the group.
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Such narratives trivialise the Taliban’s brutal repression, treating it as a quirk of cultural difference rather than a severe human rights violation. The United Nations has reported a sharp increase in suicide attempts among Afghan women, driven by despair at their systematic erasure from society.
A grim comparison to apartheid South Africa
Campaigners have drawn comparisons between Afghanistan’s gender apartheid and South Africa’s former racial apartheid, which led to boycotts and international condemnation. Yet, while racial apartheid spurred global outrage, Afghanistan’s gender apartheid has failed to provoke a comparable response.
Richard Bennett, the UN’s special rapporteur on Afghanistan, has labelled the Taliban’s actions as potential crimes against humanity, specifically gender persecution. However, international responses remain tepid, with few concrete measures taken to hold the regime accountable.
A silent humanitarian crisis
The Taliban’s relentless oppression of women highlights a grim reality: in the pursuit of cultural tourism and sporting diplomacy, the voices of Afghan women are being silenced further. By marketing Afghanistan as a “safe” destination and celebrating its cricketing successes, the international community risks legitimising a regime that thrives on human suffering.
Afghanistan’s beauty and culture are undeniable, but so is the suffering of its women. As the world watches cricket matches and books holidays, Afghan women remain locked away, their voices unheard and their plight ignored. It is a stark reminder that, in the face of mass persecution, silence and inaction are complicity.
