Women and girls bear the brunt of the earthquake's consequences

Following the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, women and children are suffering the most, as the strict religious norms of the ruling Taliban regime severely restrict their access to rescue efforts.

The religious prohibition of direct physical contact between men and women who are not related to each other means that male rescue workers are often unable to help women in the search through the rubble. There have been reports of rescue workers pulling dead women out by their clothes to avoid physical contact.

A young survivor aptly described the situation, saying that women in Afghanistan are “invisible” and are the last to receive help, which exacerbates their plight in this catastrophic crisis.

The UN organization UN Women points out that women and girls bear the brunt of the earthquake's aftermath and that their needs must also be at the center of humanitarian aid.

In addition to problems with religious norms that restrict access to medical care, the country also suffers from a shortage of medical personnel.

In Afghanistan, women are prohibited from studying medicine, and female nurses in hospitals are constantly monitored by male soldiers.

The situation is further complicated by the difficult terrain and lack of infrastructure, which makes effective aid difficult and time-consuming.

(welt, sie)