The Guardian has reported that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s movement without a male guardian, early marriages, lack of healthcare services, road insecurity, and cultural neglect of women’s health have exacerbated the maternal and infant mortality crisis in Afghanistan.
A Tragic Story of Delay and Loss
Zarin Gul, speaking to The Guardian, recounted the heartbreaking death of her daughter:
“It was midnight when I realized that my daughter, Nasrin, needed to be taken to the hospital immediately. Her husband was in Iran for work, and we—two women along with her seven children—were alone. Nasrin, who was pregnant and expecting her eighth child, was in severe pain.”
She said that they got into a rickshaw and set out for the hospital in the middle of the night.
When they reached a Taliban checkpoint, they were stopped because they did not have a male guardian accompanying them.
“I begged them and told them my daughter was dying. I pleaded for them to let us pass, but they refused. Out of sheer desperation, I lied and claimed that the rickshaw driver was my nephew and thus a male guardian. Only then did they allow us to proceed.”
When they arrived at the hospital, Nasrin’s baby had already died in the womb, and her uterus had ruptured. Doctors told them she needed to be transferred to another hospital. Once again, in the dead of night, Zarin Gul helped her daughter into another rickshaw and headed to a government hospital an hour away.
On the way, they were stopped at Taliban checkpoints again. Each time, they were delayed because they were traveling without a male guardian.
By the time they reached the hospital, Nasrin had died.
“The doctors told us that due to severe bleeding and a ruptured uterus, both mother and child had lost their lives,” Zarin Gul said.
She added, “We buried them together.”
Widespread Crisis for Afghan Women
According to The Guardian, Nasrin’s story is the story of hundreds of Afghan women who lose their lives during childbirth, largely due to the Taliban’s restrictive policies.
Hospital staff across different Afghan cities have reported that women are often denied medical services because they do not have a male guardian with them.
A medical specialist at Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar told The Guardian:
“Many women arrive at the hospital in critical condition, and some die simply because they were brought too late.”
A nurse at Kandahar’s government hospital shared a similar case:
“A young woman arrived at the hospital in a taxi after giving birth. Her baby had died on the way due to lack of oxygen. When I asked why she hadn’t come to the hospital earlier, she said, ‘I had to wait for my husband to return from work. I had no other male guardian.’”
Two women told The Guardian that they had miscarriages due to a lack of access to medical services. One of them said that a family member died during childbirth for the same reason.
A 35-year-old woman from Kandahar said:
“My sister died yesterday while giving birth. Her husband was not home, and she couldn’t go to the doctor alone.”
Several other women reported being denied medical treatment and medication because they lacked a male guardian.
A female doctor from Nangarhar province told The Guardian:
“Since the Taliban took over, women don’t go to the doctor until their illness becomes unbearable. One reason is financial hardship, but another is that their male family members are indifferent and don’t take them to the doctor in time. And because women are not allowed to travel alone, their health conditions worsen.”
A Deteriorating Healthcare System
The increasing shortage of specialist doctors and nurses has put the lives of women and children at even greater risk, particularly in rural areas where healthcare services are scarce.
Doctors speaking to The Guardian estimate that “more than half” of their female colleagues have left their jobs.
Dr. Sima, who has stayed in Afghanistan with her husband, who is also a doctor, says: “Many of my colleagues have left the country, and this has dealt a major blow to the healthcare sector.”