ICC urged to take action on women's cricket in Afghanistan

Pressure continues to mount on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action against Afghanistan for abuse of women's rights in the country. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a non-governmental international organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights abuse by states and non-state actors around the world, has urged the ICC to suspend the membership of Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

"We are writing at this time to urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Taliban-run Afghanistan from ICC membership, and from participating in international cricket, until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport in the country. We also urge the ICC to implement a human rights policy based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights," HRW wrote in a letter to Jay Shah on Friday (March 7).

The letter comes on the eve of the Champions Trophy final in Dubai. Minky Worden, Director of Global Initiatives, Human Rights Watch has reminded the ICC chairman that since cricket has been included in Los Angeles Olympics 2028, the Taliban ban on women's rights is a violation of the Olympic charter.

"We note that cricket has been included as a sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and yet the Taliban's ban on women and girls participating in the sport is a severe violation of the Olympic Charter's guarantee that "the practice of sport is a human right." The International Olympic Committee Strategic Framework on Human Rights calls all international sports federations to implement "equality and non-discrimination." The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights require remedy for gender-based discrimination in the workplace," the letter says.

The Taliban has banned all sport for women and girls. Some Afghan women cricketers are in hiding in Australia.

"This disparate treatment in which the Afghan Men's National Cricket Team receives financial and logistical support and the Women's National Team does not-appears to violate both the Olympic Charter and the ICC's own anti-discrimination rules. In October 1999, during the Taliban's previous time in power, the International Olympic Committee suspended Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee until 2003 on grounds that the Taliban was barring women from competing in sports," HRW said.

Cricbuzz has reached out to the ICC for a response. Shah had previously pledged commitment to women's cricket. "We are committed to supporting cricket development through the Afghanistan Cricket Board while recognising the challenges facing Afghan women's cricket, including the concerns of players living in exile," he told BBC recently.

"The ICC is also reviewing certain communications concerning Afghanistan women's cricket and exploring how they can be supported within ICC's legal and constitutional framework. Our focus is on constructive dialogue and viable solutions that safeguard the best interests of all Afghan cricketers," the BBC has quoted him as saying.

Earlier the England and Wales Cricket (ECB), a member of the ICC, sought action against the Afghan board.