Did restrictions on women workers hamper Afghanistan's earthquake response?

"A devastating magnitude 6.0 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan on August 31 killed more than 2,200 people and injured some 3,600, according to the Taliban authorities. Nearly half a million were affected by the earthquake in the worst-hit Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, with relief and rescue efforts continuing even after three weeks of the tragedy. However, as the local government and aid agencies attempt to provide support to victims in a country largely dependent on international humanitarian support, women remain visibly absent from these efforts."

"A year later, it also forbade Afghan women from working with the United Nations and other international NGOs. While several NGOs were able to negotiate terms allowing some of their female staff to continue working if accompanied by their mahrams (male guardians), there are significantly fewer women working as aid workers in Afghanistan today than was the case before the Taliban returned to power, observers say."

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake on August 31 in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people and injured about 3,600. Nearly half a million people were affected in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, with relief and rescue efforts continuing weeks after the disaster. More than half of those killed or injured were women and girls. Taliban bans since 2022 have barred most Afghan women from working in NGOs, UN agencies, and international organizations, reducing female aid worker numbers. The scarcity of female medical staff and aid workers has complicated responses, though some women reported receiving help from male rescuers. The WHO urged Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on female aid workers.

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