Amnesty International: Taliban’s Ban on Women’s Employment Responsible for Reduced Aid to Afghanistan

Amnesty International, in a statement released on Tuesday, expressed its sorrow over the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan and extended its condolences to the families of the victims. The organization emphasized that during crises such as this earthquake, human rights must be at the center of the response.

Amnesty International attributed the reduction in international organizations’ activities to the Taliban’s misogynistic policies, particularly their ban on Afghan women working for the UN and other NGOs. This comes after local sources reported that at least six pregnant women died in Kunar due to a lack of female healthcare workers and medical facilities in hospitals.

Earlier, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) stated that Afghanistan urgently needs 18,000 skilled midwives and warned that if this need is not met, the lives of many women will be at risk.

Reports have also emerged about the Taliban’s restrictive policies leading to the deaths of “dozens of women” during the deadly earthquake in Herat province last year. At the time, the UN reported that over 90% of the victims of that earthquake were women and children.

Sky News, in interviews with women affected by the Herat earthquake, found that one of the factors contributing to the deaths of many women was “fear of not wearing a hijab or having a mahram (male guardian).”

The Telegraph, citing rescue workers, reported that the Taliban’s strict regulations against women led to increased casualties and the “burial alive” of many women during the Herat earthquake.

Since coming to power, the Taliban have banned women and girls from education in schools, universities, and healthcare institutions, as well as from employment. These restrictions have exacerbated healthcare challenges, particularly for women and girls, and left many healthcare centers severely short of female staff.