Taliban Rules Block Women's Medical Aid in Earthquake Zones: Report

The Impact of Gender Restrictions on Women Affected by the Earthquake

The recent earthquake in Afghanistan has exposed deep-rooted challenges for women, particularly due to strict gender rules and cultural restrictions. Even after 36 hours of the disaster, many women remained without assistance, as policies prohibiting physical contact between unrelated men and women have severely limited relief efforts.

One of the most significant barriers is the Taliban’s "no skin contact with unrelated males" rule, which prevents male rescuers from physically helping women, even in life-threatening situations. This policy has led to delays or outright denial of medical care for women trapped under rubble. Survivors like Aysha, a 19-year-old from Andarluckak in Kunar Province, have spoken about the dire consequences of these restrictions. She described a humanitarian crisis that has worsened since the August 31 earthquake, with many women left untreated or ignored.

Aysha recounted how injured women were pushed aside, some bleeding and left without help. “They gathered us in one corner and forgot about us,” she said. No one offered assistance, asked what they needed, or approached them. The lack of support has created a dangerous situation where women are often left waiting for care, while men and children receive priority.

A Shortage of Female Healthcare Workers

The Taliban's ban on women studying medicine and working in public roles has resulted in a severe shortage of female healthcare workers. This shortage makes it extremely difficult to provide medical care to women, especially in rural areas where access to services is already limited. In Mazar Dara, a village in Kunar Province, Tahzeebullah Muhazeb, a male volunteer, described how all-male medical teams hesitated to pull women out from under collapsed buildings. Trapped and injured women were left waiting for female rescuers from other villages to arrive and dig them out.

“It felt like women were invisible,” said Muhazeb, 33. He added, “The men and children were treated first, but the women were sitting apart, waiting for care.” In cases where no male relatives were present, rescue workers would drag dead women out by their clothes to avoid direct contact.

Challenges in Rescue Efforts

Many women were left trapped under debris or untreated due to the lack of female rescue workers and the restrictions on male rescuers. Some women had to rely on strangers from neighboring villages to rescue them. Rescue teams often arrived late, and in some cases, women were ignored or not prioritized for medical care. Male rescuers sometimes dragged dead bodies by their clothing to avoid direct contact.

More than 2,200 people died and 3,600 others were injured in the magnitude six quake that flattened countless hamlets and villages. The response to the quake has highlighted the dual standards that women and girls face in Afghanistan, according to aid groups and humanitarian organizations. They emphasize that women and girls will again bear the brunt of this disaster, and their needs must be at the center of the response and recovery.

Concerns from International Organizations

The United Nations and human rights organizations have expressed concern over the Taliban’s gender policies, which they say exacerbate the suffering of women in emergencies. They stress the importance of gender-sensitive disaster response planning and policies that ensure equal access to aid for all individuals.

Although the Taliban have not released a gender breakdown of the casualties, women have faced an especially harsh ordeal, made worse by neglect and isolation. More than half a dozen doctors, rescue workers, and women in areas hit by the quake have reported this in interviews.

A Critical Shortage of Healthcare Workers

Afghanistan faces a critical shortage of healthcare workers, particularly in the field of women’s health. Last year, the Taliban imposed a ban on women’s enrollment in medical education. The dearth of female doctors and rescue workers has been evident in the wake of the earthquake.

In Afghanistan, strict cultural and religious norms, enforced by the Taliban government, mean that only a woman’s close male relative—her father, brother, husband, or son—is permitted to touch her. The same applies in reverse: Women are not allowed to touch men outside their family. In disaster zones, female rescuers are restricted from assisting men. However, a woman can pull unrelated women out from under debris.