Kabul:A deeply disturbing case of attempted child marriage has emerged from Afghanistan’s Helmand province, where a 45-year-old man—already married to two women—became engaged to a six-year-old girl. According to reports from Daily Mail and Amu TV, the marriage was arranged by the girl’s family, allegedly in exchange for money. The wedding was scheduled for last Friday but was stopped after Taliban officials intervened.
The Taliban, who have banned marriages for girls under the age of nine under their current interpretation of Islamic law, arrested both the man and the girl. However, no formal charges have been filed. Instead, the girl was sent back to her family, and the 45-year-old man was told to wait at least three more years before proceeding with the marriage.
The incident highlights a growing crisis in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, forced and child marriages have surged dramatically. According to reports from USAID and the United Nations, child marriage rates have increased by at least 25%, with many girls married off before age 15 due to extreme poverty, lack of access to education, and social pressure.
A report by Amu TV further documents 58 cases of forced marriage across eight Afghan provinces between 2022 and 2024, with girls often having no say in the arrangements. Many families have cited financial hardship and fear of Taliban retaliation as reasons for marrying off their daughters early.
Under Afghan civil law, the legal marriage age is 16 for girls and 18 for boys, but the Taliban largely ignore these laws, choosing instead to follow tribal and religious customs. As a result, enforcement of age limits is virtually nonexistent in rural areas.
Despite Taliban authorities blocking the recent child marriage in Helmand, rights groups say such interventions are rare and inconsistent. In most cases, girls are left without protection or legal recourse.
International organizations including UNICEF and UN Women are calling for urgent international action to protect Afghan girls from early and forced marriage. Without access to education and legal protection, they warn, an entire generation of girls is at risk.
