The United Nations expressed grave concern over a new Taliban law on marriage that includes provisions allowing child marriage, U.N. officials said. The law, issued by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities, has drawn condemnation from human rights groups who say it violates international standards protecting women and girls.
The Taliban’s personal status law governs marriage, divorce and family relations under its interpretation of Islamic law. U.N. officials said provisions permitting marriage of girls below internationally recognized minimum ages represent a serious rollback of protections. Afghanistan is the only country that formally restricts education for girls beyond primary school.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has issued a series of decrees restricting women’s rights, including limits on employment, travel and public appearance. The marriage law adds to a legal framework that human rights monitors say systematically excludes women from public life.
U.N. agencies operating in Afghanistan have warned that child marriage contributes to higher maternal mortality, interrupted education and intergenerational poverty. The Taliban has not responded publicly to the U.N. criticism. Previous Taliban edicts have been implemented through morality police enforcement across the country.
Human rights organizations said the law codifies restrictions that had been enforced informally since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The U.N. formally condemned the provisions as violations of international human rights standards and Afghanistan’s obligations under treaties it has ratified.
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Sources:
https://www.npr.org/sections/news