The Taliban issued a new marriage law Monday containing provisions that allow child marriage, drawing grave concern from the United Nations. U.N. officials said regulations governing separation and marriage roll back protections for women and girls under international human rights standards.
The law codifies family relations under the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law. Rights monitors said passages permit marriages at ages below thresholds recognized in global treaties Afghanistan once pledged to uphold.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has barred most secondary education for girls and restricted women’s employment and movement. The marriage decree adds another formal barrier to gender equality, according to humanitarian agencies.
NPR reported that aid groups fear rising maternal health risks and school dropout rates. The Taliban has not publicly responded to U.N. criticism, and enforcement is expected through morality police structures nationwide.
Afghan women’s groups documented rising early marriages since 2021 and said the law could accelerate the trend. UNICEF reiterated that child marriage harms education and health outcomes. Neighboring Pakistan and Iran face refugee flows that may increase if rights restrictions tighten further.
Humanitarian corridors for women-led NGOs face new paperwork burdens under Taliban rules. Former Afghan judges in exile said the marriage law removes informal protections families once relied upon.
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Sources:
https://www.npr.org/sections/world/