Afghan Women Face Barriers to Rescue After Earthquake

Rescue teams reached Andarlukak village in Afghanistan’s Kunar province 36 hours after the earthquake. None of the first responders were women, according to The New York Times.

As a result, many injured women went without medical help or remained under debris until women from nearby villages arrived. Witnesses say men rescuers avoided contact due to Taliban restrictions.

Under current rules, only close male relatives may touch a woman. Women are banned from treating men outside their family. In 2024, the Taliban also prohibited women from entering medical schools, worsening the shortage of female doctors and rescuers.

Local resident Bibi Aisha, 19, told reporters that men and children were treated first, while women and girls were «gathered in a corner and forgotten.» Volunteers added that medics pulled women by their clothes to avoid direct touch.

According to UNFPA, around 11,600 pregnant women now need urgent support. Emergency response teams have been deployed to provide medical and psychological aid. UNICEF and partners are also delivering humanitarian assistance to affected families.