“Whereas the main aftershocks have handed, or have largely handed, ladies in affected areas are dealing with a long-term catastrophe with out extra pressing help,” mentioned Susan Ferguson, UN Girls Particular Consultant in Afghanistan.
One girl rescuer supported by the UN company described “scrambling” alongside the edges of mountains, “dodging falling rocks each time there was an aftershock”, Ms. Ferguson instructed journalists in Geneva. “One other girl who joined these groups, once more with our assist, mentioned there was no different channel for girls to share their wants and issues, as they’re restricted from talking to males.”
Fleeing with nothing
Within the greater than two weeks since a shallow 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit japanese Afghanistan, rescuers have battled extraordinarily difficult terrain – typically on foot – to achieve probably the most distant communities in Kunar province.
No less than 2,200 folks have been killed as homes constructed on steep hillsides collapsed on prime of one another when the quake occurred at round midnight on 31 August.
After assembly ladies survivors dwelling in a fundamental tent in Chawkay district in central Kunar province, Ms. Ferguson mentioned it was clear that they’d quickly want sturdier shelter, as temperatures begin to drop.
“These ladies had fled their village in the midst of the night time when the earthquake struck, strolling for hours to seek out momentary shelter,” she mentioned.
“They instructed me they’d misplaced their kin, many nonetheless buried within the rubble. They misplaced their properties; they misplaced their livelihoods and their supply of revenue. As one girl mentioned to me, ‘now we’ve got nothing.’’’
Ban on feminine employees
The humanitarian response to the catastrophe has been hampered by the Taliban management’s ban on Afghan ladies workers members and contractors from getting into UN compounds within the capital, Kabul, efficient since 5 September.
“The ban is impacting us as a result of our ladies workers are usually not allowed to return to the workplace to work,” the UN Girls consultant mentioned.
“Nevertheless, ladies workers and girls within the humanitarian response are nonetheless in a position to function within the earthquake-affected websites. And that is actually important and has been recognised truly as important.”
Girls and ladies accounted for greater than half of these killed and injured within the catastrophe. Additionally they make up 60 per cent of these nonetheless lacking, whereas many survivors stay in tents or out within the open, as witnessed by UN Girls evaluation groups.
Cultural chasm
Offering healthcare to survivors of the tragedy stays a precedence – as does discovering sufficient ladies to do that work, in keeping with culturally accepted practices. “What I heard from well being employees and from some ladies was that there was a selected space within the earthquake-affected zone the place there have been cultural norms that meant that ladies themselves did not need males to the touch them and that males additionally did not wish to contact ladies as they have been attempting to rescue them,” Ms. Ferguson defined.
Destruction of fundamental infrastructure has heightened the specter of violence in opposition to ladies and ladies as they’re pressured to stroll additional in search a WC, or collect water, exposing them to the danger of violence and landmines.
“In on a regular basis life, on this cultural context, these ladies already face an uphill battle day-after-day to outlive and assist their households,” Ms. Ferguson mentioned. “Now, within the disruption and chaos following the earthquake, these ladies will discover it exponentially tougher to feed their kids and discover a secure place to remain.”
Satellite tv for pc pictures have revealed that greater than 649,000 tonnes of particles – equal to 40,500 truckloads – nonetheless have to be cleared. In line with the UN Growth Programme (UNDP) which analysed the info at the least 23,000 folks could have been pressured from their properties.
