UN warns that restrictions on Afghan girls will lead to a 25% increase in child marriages

United Nations Agencies Warn Taliban Restrictions Will Increase Child Marriages Among Afghan Girls

In a joint brief released by UN agencies, it has been reported that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls in Afghanistan will lead to a 25 per cent increase in child marriages among Afghan girls. The brief, released by UN Women, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), highlights the challenges faced by Afghan women and their demands to the international community.

According to the brief, the continuation of Taliban restrictions will not only impact child marriages but also increase early childbearing by 45 per cent and the risk of maternal mortality by 50 per cent. Currently, 82 per cent of Afghan women consider their mental health to be poor.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans girls from studying beyond the sixth grade and has also prohibited Afghan women from attending university. Despite these challenges, Afghan women have not given up fighting for their right to live with dignity.

The brief emphasizes that Afghan women are still forming civil society organizations, running businesses, and providing services to their communities. They have urged the international community to remain focused on the situation in Afghanistan and restore women’s rights, including the rights to education and work.

Analysts have pointed out that forced marriages are just one small part of the obstacles preventing girls from continuing their education. Women’s rights activists have raised concerns about families forcing their daughters into marriage due to restrictions on education for girls in Afghanistan.

Several nations, including the US, have called for the lifting of bans against women in Afghanistan and have stated that the Taliban will not be formally recognized until women’s rights are observed.