WHO urges Taliban to lift restrictions on female aid workers in quake-hit Afghanistan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has appealed to Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to lift restrictions preventing female aid workers from operating independently following this week’s devastating earthquake in the eastern provinces.

These restrictions, which require women to be accompanied by male guardians and prohibit male touch, are obstructing female healthcare professionals from reaching women in dire need.

Dr. Mukta Sharma, deputy representative of WHO’s Afghanistan office, highlighted that only about 10% of medical staff in the quake-affected areas are women, and these are largely midwives or nurses, not doctors equipped to treat severe injuries.

The shortage disproportionately affects female survivors, many of whom are uncomfortable or unwilling to be treated by male practitioners.

The earthquake struck on Sep 1 registering a magnitude of 6.0. It has claimed at least 2,200 lives, injured more than 3,600 people, and left thousands homeless across eastern provinces like Kunar and Nangarhar.

The situation is worsened by widespread healthcare facility closures and severe funding cuts in recent months.

The WHO warned of rising trauma and mental health issues among women, especially those who have lost male family members, as well as the long-term consequences of reduced access to maternal and reproductive health services.

Training pipelines for female doctors are already disrupted due to prohibitions on women’s education, hampering future replenishment of female healthcare staff.

While Taliban officials have maintained that women can receive aid per their interpretation of Islamic law, a formal and consistent exemption allowing female aid workers to operate without male guardians has not yet been granted.

WHO officials raised the issue with authorities last week but described the response as wholly inadequate in the current humanitarian emergency.