Martina Navratilova makes her frustration clear with Taliban after new anti-women order in Afghanistan

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova condemned the Taliban for its latest anti-women decree in Afghanistan. The former World No. 1 expressed her outrage over the regime’s demand that all NGOs in Afghanistan cease employing women or risk losing their operational licenses.

The situation in Afghanistan has been increasingly dire for women and girls since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. Under their rule, female education has been severely restricted, with bans placed on schooling beyond the sixth grade.

Additionally, workplace access for women has been drastically curtailed, and even healthcare options are limited, with women unable to see male doctors without a male guardian present. These policies have sparked global outrage, underscoring the plight of Afghan women stripped of basic rights and freedoms.

The latest decree, issued by the Taliban’s Economy Ministry, escalates the repression. In a letter dated December 29, 2024, the ministry warned NGOs to stop employing women or they would face immediate closure and revocation of their operating licenses.

The Taliban justified the move by claiming women had not been wearing the Islamic headscarf correctly, an accusation they first made two years ago when suspending the employment of Afghan women in NGOs.

The Economy Ministry’s letter stated it oversees all national and foreign organizations’ activities and would enforce strict compliance with this new mandate. The repercussions for non-compliance were made clear: all operations of the violating NGO would be terminated.

On December 31, 2024, Navratilova, a staunch advocate for gender equality and human rights, voiced her disapproval on X (formerly Twitter), writing:

"As I was saying- Taliban men are evil."

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Martina Navratilova speaks out against Taliban’s crackdown on women’s medical education in Afghanistan

Martina Navratilova during the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards press conference (Image source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova voiced her strong condemnation of the Taliban’s recent ban on Afghan women pursuing medical education.

On December 2, 2024, it was reported that Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had issued a new decree through the Ministry of Public Health, prohibiting medical schools from enrolling female students.

In response, the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) on December 3, 2024, showing Taliban officials preventing female students from entering medical school.

"The Taliban are evil. All men. All Evil," she wrote.

In other news, Martina Navratilova expressed her outrage over a distressing video showing a nine-year-old girl being sold into a forced marriage with a 55-year-old man in Afghanistan.