UN expresses concern over rise in child marriages in Afghanistan

Written By: Tabasum Nasiry

The United Nations Women’s Section has reported a 25% increase in child marriages in Afghanistan due to the ban on girls’ education.

In a published report, the organization has called on the international community to pay attention to the Afghanistan situation, including restoring human rights, particularly women’s rights.

The report, prepared in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), also praises Afghan women’s efforts.

According to the UN Women’s section, “Afghan women are still forming civil society organizations, running businesses, and providing services to their communities. Most importantly, Afghan women continue to find ways to convey their demands to the international community.”

This comes as the United Nations and several human rights and women’s organizations have expressed concern about the rise in forced and underage marriages following the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan.

According to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), forced and underage marriages of girls in Afghanistan have increased in recent months. Since 2021, 35% of girls in Afghanistan have been forced into marriage before the age of 18, and 17% before the age of 15.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stated that forced marriages in South Asia, including Afghanistan, have increased due to family economic problems and the ban on education, with many families considering their daughters a “burden.”

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