WHO Calls for Lifting Restrictions on Afghanistan Women in Quake Relief Efforts

DID Press: World Health Organization (WHO) urged Taliban caretaker government to lift restrictions imposed on female aid workers, allowing them to travel without male guardians to earthquake-hit areas in the country’s east and assist affected women.

Dr. Mukta Sharma, Deputy Representative of WHO’s Afghanistan office, told Reuters: “One of the very big issues now is the increasing paucity of female staff in these areas.”

She estimated that about 90 percent of medical staff in the region are male, while the remaining 10 percent are mostly midwives and nurses. She stressed that these women are not doctors capable of treating severe injuries. This situation has disrupted the provision of care for women, as many do not feel comfortable interacting with male staff or are afraid to travel to access healthcare.

So far, Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health and the government’s spokesperson have not responded to this request.