Rekha Sharma, Rajya Sabha Member and former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, expressed concern on X about gender inequality faced by Afghan women after the recent earthquake. She said the tragedy was not only natural but also a man-made disaster caused by religious prejudice.
Reports revealed that women trapped under rubble were left without help as male rescuers were restricted from touching or pulling them out. Survivors narrated that men and children were rescued first, while women were kept aside. Sharma said the incident highlighted the severe impact of discrimination during disasters.
Afghanistan’s Quake Exposed a Deeper Tragedy: Gender Inequality and Religious Prejudice Against Muslim Women
The heartbreaking tragedy in Afghanistan after the recent earthquake is not only a natural disaster but also a reminder of the man made disaster of gender inequality.…
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) September 6, 2025
Taliban Policies Restrict Rescue and Relief for Women
Sharma said that this was not the first time Afghan women suffered under the pretext of religion. She pointed out that Taliban restrictions prevented female rescuers from working and stopped male rescuers from saving women. She claimed that this practice left women punished twice once by natural disaster and then by discriminatory rules. She said the Taliban’s rigid interpretation of Islam had already denied women the right to education, employment, and healthcare. Now, women were also deprived of timely rescue during calamities, making them invisible victims in a society governed by strict gender-based restrictions.
Gender Bias Against Women in Muslim Societies
The Rajya Sabha Member said that women in many Muslim societies faced similar forms of bias. She stated that women were often denied education, restricted in mobility, and forced to follow dress codes such as hijab or burqa. She added that these restrictions reflected control over women’s bodies and choices. Even during disasters, such biases continued to exist, putting women at greater risk. She emphasised that this was not religion but patriarchy used through religious diktats. She said Afghan women’s suffering after the earthquake showed how gender inequality deepens during emergencies.
On this note, Rekha Sharma urged the international community and civil society to raise their voices against such injustices. She said disasters expose the deepest inequalities when women die not only from collapsed buildings but from collapsed conscience.
She stated that no faith could justify denying women the right to be saved. According to her, every religion teaches compassion, but when rules suppress humanity, oppression takes its place.
What Is Taliban’s – NO SKIN CONTACT Rule?
Where on one side the country is suffering massive deaths o ver massive back to back earthquakes, well te count stands at – 2,200 killed and over 3,600 injured, officials said the quake reduced entire villages to rubble, leaving families trapped under collapsed homes.
Afghanistan’s “No Skin Contact” rule is a restriction enforced by the Taliban that forbids men from touching women who are not their close relatives, such as a father, brother, husband, or son.
Under this rule, even in life-threatening situations like natural disasters or medical emergencies, male rescuers and doctors are not allowed to physically assist women. This has created serious challenges during rescue operations, as many women trapped under rubble after the recent earthquake were left behind because rescuers hesitated to touch them.
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
