US EditionAfter Afghan Earthquake, Many Male Rescuers Aided Men but Not Women: Report
Taliban-enforced gender rules and a shortage of female healthcare workers have delayed aid to women after a quake killed over 2,200 people, worsening their suffering, officials say.
- A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Afghanistan on Sunday, killing over 2,200 people and injuring around 3,600 while flattening numerous villages.
- The disaster unfolded amid Taliban rule that enforces strict gender norms, including a 'no skin contact with unrelated males' rule and a 2024 ban on women's medical education enrollment.
- In quake-hit areas, male rescuers hesitated to assist women under rubble due to the contact ban, leaving many trapped and untreated as female rescuers were scarce due to Taliban restrictions.
- Susan Ferguson, the UN Women representative, emphasized that women and girls are likely to be disproportionately affected by this crisis, highlighting the importance of prioritizing their specific needs in all relief and recovery efforts.
- This event highlights how entrenched gender discrimination and healthcare worker shortages in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan exacerbate women's suffering during emergencies.
35 Articles
35 Articles
In Afghanistan, where a devastating earthquake struck on the night of September 1, many rescuers were helping men but not women. The New York Times writes about this with reference to eyewitnesses.
Left trapped under debris, untreated: Afghan women lament Taliban's 'no skin contact with males' rule after earthquake
Taliban had long imposed ban on women studying medicine and working in public roles, which has resulted in a severe shortage of female healthcare workers, resulting in making it difficult to provide medical care to women in rural areas, following the earthquake.
Huge Afghanistan Earthquake: Even More Disastrous for Women
On Monday, September 1, a magnitude‑6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, followed by a 5.2 aftershock. The hardest hit areas were Nangarhar and Kunar provinces. Taliban sources report more than 1,400 people killed and 3,120 injured. The Red Crescent estimates over 8,000 homes were destroyed. Many women remain trapped under rubble, yet rescue efforts are hampered by laws preventing men from touching them. Only their husband, father, or brot…
After the severe earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, it is once again the women who suffer from the consequences. The standards of the Taliban regime set narrow limits on the rescue forces. "It felt as if the women were invisible," says one helper.
The terrible earthquake in Afghanistan has left more than 2,200 people dead and 3,600 injured, according to figures published by the Taliban government. The media Slate and the New York Times report a disturbing finding: no woman among the rescuers, nor among the rescued.The reason? The ultra-rigorist cultural norms imposed by the Taliban regime. Back in power since 2021, they prohibit any physical contact between men and women who are not membe…
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