Recently, two large-scale earthquakes hit Afghanistan, furthering the dire humanitarian crisis. Earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.0 to 6.2 are likely to cause significant damage in largely populated areas. The first, which was a magnitude of 6.0, occurred on August 31. This resulted in around 2,000 deaths, caused thousands to sustain injuries, and damaged health facilities and homes. Unfortunately, four days later, the second earthquake hit, this one being a 6.2 magnitude earthquake.
In the aftereffects of natural disasters, the people most affected are women and children. In Afghanistan, where women’s rights are being heavily restricted, their ability to access humanitarian aid is limited. Previously, in October 2023, two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes hit Afghanistan. This event and its effects on the women and children was written about in a blog by Delisha. If you would like to read about that, check out her blog, Deadly Earthquake in Afghanistan Magnifies Gender Apartheid Under Taliban Control. For an overview of women’s rights violations in Afghanistan, read my previous blog, A Woman’s World in Afghanistan: An Update on Women’s Rights Violations in Afghanistan.
For this blog, we will be looking at the most recent earthquake, its effects on women and children, and the humanitarian aid response. Throughout this blog, keep in mind a couple of articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Article 18 relates to women’s freedom of movement and Article 25, right to food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Throughout the Taliban’s recent reign, these rights have continuously been violated. Frequent earthquakes have furthered the humanitarian crisis and highlighted women’s rights issues.
The Devastating Effects of Earthquakes in Afghanistan
On average, earthquakes kill around 560 people every year in Afghanistan, making it a common natural disaster. The country sits between the Eurasian tectonic plate and the Indian plate, hence why earthquakes are so frequent. The common house in rural Afghanistan is made out of mudbrick, wood, and stone. With frequent earthquakes each year, this causes significant damage and destruction to many homes.
The Kunar region has been especially affected by the recent earthquakes. Located in the northeastern area of Afghanistan, bordering Pakistan, this remote area had many of their homes destroyed. In response to the destruction, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has provided medical aid to areas like Kunar. Although they are providing support and medical aid, many people still struggle with food security due to the loss of livestock (goats and cows) during the earthquakes.
Along with the ICRC, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been offering food, shelter, and medical aid. After the initial earthquakes, around 85% of those interviewed by IRC had no shelter to sleep in. All of their homes had been destroyed. On average, $80 million in damage occurs every year in Afghanistan due to earthquakes. Because of the recent cutback on humanitarian aid from foreign entities and the rising restrictions on women and girls, the crisis continues to grow.
Women’s Struggles Amidst the Aftermath of Earthquakes
The Kunar region has experienced high levels of destruction. As the weather gets colder, the need for more aid becomes increasingly imperative. Around 50% of Afghanistan’s population relies on food aid, but the restriction of movement within Afghanistan makes it difficult for people to gain access to humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies. These restrictions have made it almost impossible for women and girls to receive this aid, a problem compounded by the fact that 422 health facilities have either closed or have been suspended.
The majority of people injured or killed during the earthquakes were women and girls. Women and girls are not allowed to be in public without a male escort. However, with homes destroyed and sometimes the men and/or sons being killed in the earthquakes, women are left with little means to survive. This makes it difficult to find services or to receive medical aid.
UN Women is currently appealing for $2.5 million to increase the number of women-led response teams helping in Afghanistan, boost access to services, and create a 6-to-12 month emergency response. This would allow for more critical materials, such as blankets, clothing, and cooking utensils, to be distributed amongst families that remain in temporary shelters. It would also create spaces that women and girls can meet and receive aid.
The Taliban’s Gender-based Persecution
Since the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan in 2021, the rights of women and girls have been stripped away. Journalists have been detained, and anyone who would oppose the regime has been silenced.
Donor governments, such as the United States of America, have made significant cuts to aid. Neighboring countries, like Iran and Pakistan, have returned millions of refugees, causing the number of displaced people in Afghanistan to grow.
As stated in a recent post of mine, women and girls are not allowed to be educated past the sixth grade. Women are also not allowed to attend university, have jobs, leave the house without a male relative, or visit public spaces.
De facto security has prevented Afghan women workers from entering into the UN Compound in Kabul, Afghanistan. Recently, security had been placed in front of multiple UN entrances to monitor people entering. The Taliban has also restricted women national staff from traveling into the country. Interfering with UN missions is a violation of international law.
As such, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant on July 8, 2025 for the arrests of Haibatullah Akhundeadal (the Taliban’s leader) and Abdul Hakim Haqqani (the Taliban’s chief justice). The charge of the crime is gender-based persecution, which is a crime against humanity. Crimes against humanity are large-scale crimes against civilians. This includes torture, sexual violence, apartheid, and in this case, gender-based persecution.
This issue of gender-based persecution in Afghanistan has long limited women from receiving aid when disaster hits. It is important that Afghan women’s rights issues continue to get international attention. This way their struggles and fights do not go unnoticed.
What You Can Do
Entire villages have been destroyed, thousands of people have died, and even more have been injured and displaced. Women and girls’ access to humanitarian aid is limited and hinges on whether or not they have a male relative to escort them or if there are female humanitarian aid workers. Organizations like the International Refugee Committee (IRC), UN Women, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been working to provide aid to the areas most affected by the earthquakes. If you want to help and are able, you can look into donating to any of these organizations.
