Women in Afghanistan remain unaided following the earthquake, according to a revelation by The New York Times

In the early hours of September 1, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck approximately 27 km east of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The disaster left over 2,200 deaths and around 3,600 injuries in its wake, according to reports. The epicenter was located in the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman.

The Taliban-run Ministry of Health has acknowledged a shortage of female medical staff in the earthquake-affected areas, but did not address the issue of cultural norms affecting rescue efforts. Afghan cultural norms, enforced by the Taliban, prohibit physical contact between unrelated men and women, even in extraordinary situations like earthquakes. This has been a significant challenge in the rescue and aid efforts, as male rescuers are reported to have ignored injured women and girls in some instances.

In the village of Andarlookak in Kunar province, an affected woman's account reveals that injured women and teenage girls were pushed aside during rescue efforts. The emergency response team removed and treated injured men and children, but ignored the women and girls who were in need of immediate medical attention. Some of these women were bleeding and remained trapped under rubble due to a lack of assistance from male rescuers.

The New York Times reports on these events, citing eyewitnesses. The publication notes that female rescuers are forbidden from helping men, but can assist unrelated women in disaster zones. However, the Taliban-run Ministry of Health did not comment on the presence or role of female rescuers in the disaster zone, nor did they mention any specific measures to address the shortage of female medical staff in the earthquake-affected areas.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Sharifullah Zaman, stated that hospitals in Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman have the highest number of female doctors and nurses for treating earthquake victims. Yet, it is unclear who the leader is responsible for the highest number of female doctors and nurses in the Afghan provinces most affected by the September 2022 earthquake.

The earthquake was followed by two aftershocks of magnitudes 5.2 and 4.7, adding to the devastation in the affected areas. The Taliban-run Ministry of Health did not address the role of male rescuers in preventing female victims from receiving medical aid, leaving many women without the help they desperately needed. The New York Times also reports that female rescuers are forbidden from helping men, but can assist unrelated women in disaster zones, which could potentially alleviate some of the issues faced during rescue efforts.

Women in Afghanistan remain unaided following the earthquake, according to a revelation by The New York Times