December 2, 2022
2 mins read

Afghanistan: Early, forced marriages on the rise under Taliban rule

Shukria Sherzai, a women’s rights activist in Ghor province, says the cases of forced and underage marriages have increased exponentially since the Taliban seized power….reports Asian Lite News

Since Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, there has been a dramatic increase in early marriages of Afghan girls — a trend activists and human rights campaigners attribute to parents’ belief that securing a spouse for their girls is better than seeing them forced to marry members of the Taliban, a media report said.

Marrying their girls off also provides some sense of security: fewer mouths to feed at a time when Afghan girls have been banned from attending school and face harassment as the country deals with a humanitarian crisis and economic ruin, said the RFE/RL report.

Shukria Sherzai, a women’s rights activist in Ghor province, says the cases of forced and underage marriages have increased exponentially since the Taliban seized power.

She says that many families agree to early unions in the hope of sparing them from being forced to marry Taliban members. But even if the reasoning is based on securing a better life, the effect has been devastating to the family structure, RFE/RL reported.

“Forced and underage marriages have resulted in violence and turmoil within families,” she said.

International rights watchdogs have documented similar trends.

“The rates of child, early, and forced marriage in Afghanistan are surging under Taliban rule,” noted a July report by Amnesty International.

Nicolette Waldman, a researcher for Amnesty International, says that the most common drivers of child, early, and forced marriage since the Taliban’s takeover include the economic and humanitarian crisis and lack of educational and professional prospects for women.

Many are not able to find alternatives to the Taliban.

“Families are forcing women and girls to marry Taliban members, and Taliban members are forcing women and girls to marry them,” Waldman said.

Afghanistan is rife with speculation that the Taliban is contemplating a complete ban on women’s education, work, and mobility in a return to the policies imposed during the extremist group’s infamous first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, RFE/RL reported.

A December 2021 decree by the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, about women’s rights was silent on women’s education and work. But it outlawed forced marriages by requiring women’s consent for marriage.

That requirement is apparently not being enforced.

Marziah Nurzai, a women’s rights activist in the western province of Farah, attributes the rise in forced and underage marriages to the Taliban’s decision to close girls’ schools.

She witnessed one father marrying his daughter to a drug addict in exchange for a dowry worth some $2,500. Another one sold off his 10-year-old for more than $4,000 in cash, RFE/RL reported.

“Think about what will happen to such girls in the future,” Nurzai said. “Since there is no hope for reopening schools, girls are losing hope and self-confidence.”

ALSO READ: Afghanistan once again tops global agenda

Previous Story

UK MP raises Bhopal Gas Tragedy issue in Parliament, demands closure and justice

Next Story

Indian envoy hands over Padma Bhushan to Sundar Pichai

Latest from -Top News

Another Taliban Envoy Posted in India

These back-to-back appointments in Mumbai and Hyderabad signal Kabul’s intent to maintain cordial diplomatic relations with New Delhi….reports Asian Lite News After Mumbai, another Afghan Taliban representative has taken charge of the

Rahul, the court, and the patriotism trap

When judges slip into moral commentary, especially on loyalty to the nation, they risk blurring the line between verdict and ideology, writes Aravind Rajeev A rare moment of judicial overreach shook the

‘Free Imran’: PTI Roars Nationwide

The protest is being held under the banner of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) and is supervised by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja Marking the second anniversary of former Prime Minister Imran

Yunus Unveils July Declaration

Yunus unveiled the July Declaration on Tuesday at the South Plaza of Parliament, marking one year since the Awami League’s ouster….reports Asian Lite News Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday unveiled

Doval in Moscow Amid US Tariff Threat

During his Moscow visit, NSA Doval will discuss defence ties, the oil issue, and the upcoming Modi-Putin summit..reports Asian Lite news India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is set to meet senior
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Imran blows up the cover on Pak, Taliban links

The Pakistan Prime Minister has simply confirmed, which insiders always

Taliban controls 75% mining sites in Afghanistan

Mining sites under Taliban control: 165 in Badakhshan, 16 in