Feature: First-ever fitness club for women opens in Kabul in latest victory for female Afghan empowerment

The first-ever fitness club for girls called "Blue Moon Fitness Club" is the only fitness club of its kind to open in Kabul with the objective of promoting health and sport among women in Afghanistan's traditionally patriarchal society.

"It was my life's ambition to open this club and serve women like me and it cost me 20,000 U.S. dollars," the club's owner, Tahmina Mahid Nuristani, told Xinhua.

"Afghanistan is a conservative society, but in defiance of this, I opened the club nearly two months ago, with the hope of contributing to female empowerment here," Nuristani, 20, said.

According to Nuristani, in militancy-plagued Afghanistan where sports facilities like other institutions are limited, women rarely dare to attend sports facilities, like stadiums, allocated for men, and it was a lack of such facilities for women that inspired Nuristani to open her club.

In conservative Afghanistan society where people, especially in rural areas, deeply believe in tribal traditions, some of which include prohibiting girls from going to school or working outside home, opening a fitness club for girls, is a particularly brave move for a female and took a great deal of courage.

"My sole aim of opening the club is to support the women's cause and to encourage them to come out of their houses, go to sports clubs and exercise," Nuristani asserted.

Although Afghanistan has made tremendous achievements since the collapse of the Taliban regime in late 2001 and Afghan athletes have brought medals home from regional and international tournaments, including from the Olympics in Beijing 2008 and London in 2012, the percentage of female sportspersons is almost zero, mostly because of traditions and cultural barriers.

"Men on the roads harass me everyday as I travel to and from the fitness club," Rukhsar Habibzai, 19, a member of Blue Moon Fitness Club said, adding that the men even go as far as to throw stones and hurl abusive language at her as she rides her bicycle to the club, just because she is a female.

"Even though these ignorant, sexist men with extreme views are trying to intimidate me from going to the fitness club, I am determined to continue my practice," the gutsy young girl proclaimed.

The female teenager has been a member of the National Women's Cyclist Association for more than three years and is currently practicing Yoga at the fitness club in Kabul.

"With courage and determination we Afghan women can overcome the harmful traditions and cultural barriers to prove and elevate our existence in society," she said.

Although women's social status in Afghanistan has been improving demonstrably since the Taliban's reign ended 15 years ago, and women are currently engaged in politics, business, art and other pursuits previously prohibited, many families still do not allow their female members to work outside of home.

The private fitness club, which opened 45 days ago, is rapidly gaining popularity among female sports enthusiasts and its members are on a constant rise, despite a backlash from traditional male quarters, according to Fakhria Ibrahim, a yoga instructor.

"Since the club opened, 50 women and girls have registered and regularly practice yoga, body building and other exercises, and the number is consistently rising in the face of traditional restrictions," Ibrahimi told Xinhua proudly. Enditem