A devastating magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on August 31, 2025, killing over 2,200 people and injuring thousands more across remote mountainous provinces.
Among those affected, women faced deadly delays in receiving help due to strict Taliban-imposed rules preventing men from making physical contact with unrelated females.
Strict gender segregation meant all-male rescue teams prioritized men and children, often leaving women trapped or bleeding under collapsed buildings. Rescue workers frequently pulled deceased women out by their clothes to avoid skin contact, and many injured women were unable to access timely medical care due to the absence of female doctors, who are scarce under the Taliban regime’s restrictions.
Humanitarian experts warn that without female rescuers, thousands of women and girls remain invisible in relief efforts, bearing the greatest brunt of this crisis.
