Resolution on the situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes

The European Parliament adopted by 504 votes to 74, with 30 abstentions, a resolution on the situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, Renew, Greens/EFA and The Left groups.

On 31 August 2025 a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit the province of Kunar in Eastern Afghanistan, causing over 2 200 deaths and thousands of injuries, and destroying more than 6 700 homes. At least 11 000 people are displaced and living in tents as winter approaches. With global aid cuts and Taliban restrictions, the emergency response has been severely hindered. In addition, women and girls are disproportionately impacted due to gender-based restrictions, lack of female doctors, and limited access to humanitarian assistance.

The EU and its Member States are among the largest humanitarian donors to Afghanistan. They have approved EUR 1 million in emergency funding, in addition to the EUR 161 million in humanitarian aid already allocated in 2025.

In this resolution, Parliament urged the international community to coordinate efforts in increasing and delivering humanitarian relief, rebuilding infrastructure, and providing medical and psychological support for survivors, including trauma care.

Members strongly condemned the Taliban’s numerous gender-based restrictions and discriminatory policies that prevent Afghan women from accessing education, medical training, healthcare and humanitarian work, resulting in the establishment of a gender apartheid. In this regard, Parliament called for the EU to support the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity.

Afghanistan’s de facto authorities are called on to:

- lift all restrictions on women;

- reopen medical education centres to women, given the country’s drastic shortage of female medical staff;

- immediately lift restrictions on female humanitarian workers and students, to allow women to participate fully in disaster response efforts and to permit women’s rights organisations to continue their work in Afghanistan.

The EU and the Member States are called on to increase pressure on the Taliban, including through targeted sanctions, asset freezes and travel bans against Taliban leaders responsible for systematic human rights violations, and refrain from resuming diplomatic relations with the Taliban.