Published on, Sept. 27 -- September 27, 2025 11:57 AM

A deadly 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on August 31, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring some 3,600 in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. Nearly half a million Afghans have been affected, with rescue and relief efforts still under way three weeks after the tragedy.

But even as aid agencies and the Taliban authorities try to respond, Afghan women remain largely absent from the recovery process. Since 2022, the Taliban has barred women from working with NGOs, later extending the ban to the United Nations and other international organisations. Although some groups negotiated limited roles for female staff under male guardianship, women's participation in humani...