Taliban’s ‘No Skin Contact’ Rule Leaves Afghan Women Trapped, Ignored In Earthquake Rubble

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 23:03 IST

Rescue groups rapidly took out hurt guys and kids, however ladies and teen ladies were typically left, some bleeding and ignored

Afghan females impacted by recently’s destructive earthquake state they were left caught and disregarded by rescue groups since of rigorous Taliban guidelines prohibiting physical contact in between unassociated males and females.

“They collected us in one corner and forgotten us,” said 19-year-old Bibi Aysha, whose village in Kunar province was one of the hardest hit, told The New York Times.

The earthquake, which struck eastern Afghanistan’s mountainous region on Sunday night, killed more than 2,200 people and injured over 3,600. It reduced entire villages to rubble, leaving many survivors trapped under collapsed homes. However, cultural and religious restrictions imposed by the Taliban have made rescue efforts especially difficult for women.

Under Taliban rules, only a woman’s close male relatives—such as her father, brother, husband, or son—are permitted to touch her. Men outside her family are forbidden from making physical contact, which means male rescuers hesitate to carry out rescues involving women.

In many cases, women trapped under debris remain unreached, while the bodies of women who died are often dragged out by their clothes to avoid skin contact, the publication reported.

‘Felt like women were invisible’

Tahzeebullah Muhazeb, a male volunteer in the same region, said the all-male medical teams seemed unable to provide proper care for women survivors. “It felt like women were invisible… the men and children were treated first, but the women were sitting apart, waiting for care,” he informed NYT

Rescue groups rapidly took out hurt guys and kids, however ladies and teen ladies were frequently left, some bleeding and ignored.

The 6.0 magnitude quake struck remote provinces consisting of Kunar, where numerous reside in high river valleys surrounded by high mountains, making complex rescue efforts.

Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat validated that search and rescue work continues regardless of challenging surface and financing scarcities. “Tents have actually been established for individuals, and the shipment of emergency treatment and emergency situation materials is continuous,” he said.

Afghanistan is facing multiple ongoing crises, including poverty, drought, and a growing number of displaced people returning from neighbouring countries since the Taliban took power in 2021. This earthquake is the third major natural disaster to strike the country since the Taliban’s return, further straining its fragile infrastructure and resources.

(With inputs from agencies)

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