KABUL (SW) – A number of women in Kabul say that after the closure of the recreation centers for women, they have to exercise outside the recreation centers in order to maintain their health.
Women who are overweight and run every morning behind the walls of recreation centers near their homes for exercise, demanding permission to enter the recreation centers.
Khadijah, a resident of Karta Nau, Kabul, who is overweight, says that she used to go to sports resorts, but now she has to come on the roads. “The doctor/physician told me that you should exercise because of your weight,” she added. “Since the establishment of the Islamic Emirate, we have been exercising on the roads and we are not comfortable like this. We ask the government to open the parks again so that we can exercise easily.”
Women’s gymnasiums and recreation centers, which are the only places for ease and motivation for women to exercise, have been closed on the orders of the Islamic Emirate.
Shaishta, a resident of Shahr Nau, Kabul, who is also overweight, says that the women who come to the park suffer from diseases such as high blood pressure, blood fat, and leg pain, and if they do not exercise, their diseases will increase. “I used to come to the park, but now I don’t, because if I wander in the streets foor exercise, it’s bad.”
Similarly, Gul Bibi, another resident of Kabul city who runs behind the closef parks early in the morning for exercise, asks the Islamic Emirate to allow women to enter the recreation centers for exercise, so as to get rid of being harassed by people on the roads. “Women need exercise just like men. When we go to the park, we are not allowed to enter, and when we exercise outside the park and on the roads, we are harassed a lot. We want the government to create a suitable place for women’s sports.”
However, the officials of the Promotion of Good and Prohibition of Evil say that they are trying to provide a suitable environment for women to exercise. Mohammad Akif Mohajer, the spokesman of this ministry, told Salam Watandar: “Our effort is to make it easier for our sisters in whatever sector it is. We have allowed women to enter the parks before. But due to non-compliance with the rules, we closed the parks. We will try to make it easier in this sector along with other sectors in the future.”
After returning to power in August 2021, the Islamic Emirate said that women are allowed to enter the resorts by observing the Islamic hijab. But nearly six months ago, it prohibited women from entering parks and resorts.
ENDS
