Women denied rescue aid amid Taliban restrictions
Kabul: The devastating earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on 1 September 2025 has exposed the severe consequences of Taliban-imposed gender rules. Reports have revealed that women and girls trapped under rubble were left unattended because male rescuers were not permitted to have skin contact with them unless accompanied by a male relative.
Earthquake impact across provinces
The 6.0-magnitude quake shook Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces, killing over 2,200 people and injuring nearly 3,600. Entire villages were flattened, with families losing homes and livelihoods overnight. Rescue operations, already hampered by limited resources, became even more challenging due to cultural and religious restrictions enforced by the authorities.
Eyewitnesses said that when women were pulled from debris, rescuers avoided direct physical contact. In several cases, bodies and survivors were lifted by clothing instead of arms, causing further delay in medical attention. “We were bleeding and crying, but they treated the men first. They forgot about us,” one survivor recounted.
Restrictions hinder life-saving aid
Taliban edicts prohibiting physical interaction between unrelated men and women have created critical obstacles in emergency relief. With a shortage of trained female medical and rescue personnel—partly due to bans on women entering healthcare training since late 2024—many female survivors were forced to wait without timely care.
Hospitals in affected provinces recorded a disproportionate number of male patients, while women remained untreated due to the absence of female doctors. International aid workers have expressed concern that cultural restrictions are costing lives unnecessarily.
International concern grows
Humanitarian agencies, including UN Women, have warned that Afghan women and girls are bearing the brunt of the crisis. The organisation urged the Taliban to allow the deployment of female humanitarian staff to ensure equitable access to aid. Global rights groups stressed that without immediate action, gender discrimination in relief work will deepen the tragedy.
Conclusion
As Afghanistan grapples with widespread destruction, the plight of women highlights the intersection of disaster and gender discrimination. Unless restrictions on female participation in rescue and healthcare are lifted, experts warn that women will remain the most vulnerable in every future crisis.