<h1>Humanitarian access challenged after major Afghan earthquake amid donor cuts and bans on women working with aid</h1> A major earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has caused mass casualties and infrastructure collapse, prompting an appeal for international assistance by the de facto government, which is recognized by only one foreign state. Legal issues arise from reduced donor funding and restrictions on women's employment with humanitarian organizations, complicating compliance with international obligations to facilitate and protect humanitarian relief and healthcare access. Donors' conditional aid suspensions reflect concerns about diversion to the de facto authorities and rights restrictions, raising tensions between humanitarian imperatives, state recognition politics, and legal duties under international human rights and humanitarian frameworks.