Afghanistan's child marriage crisis has reached a stark new low, with families selling off their daughters as young as two months old to settle debts or secure basic necessities amid an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. The alarming trend is unfolding in the midst of deepening poverty and desperation, where girls are being forced into wedlock at an unprecedented rate.
Disturbing reports from Badghis province and northern Afghanistan reveal a pattern of exploitation, with families trading their daughters for food, shelter, or to settle outstanding debts. The consequences are dire: Sima, now 18, was forced into marriage at the age of 13 shortly after the Taliban's return to power, having already given birth four times. A public hospital in northern Afghanistan has recorded a staggering 42 underage girls giving birth in the first five months of this year alone, many with severe health complications, including ectopic pregnancies and caesarean sections.
The resurgence of child marriage in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to the Taliban's restrictive policies on women's rights. While child marriage has a long history in South Asia, its decline in the broader region has been starkly reversed in Afghanistan. The Taliban's legalisation of the practice and their restrictions on girls' education have pushed families into desperate measures. Interviews reveal instances where daughters as young as two months old are being pledged to future husbands, with the girls expected to be handed over between the ages of seven and nine.
The health implications for these child brides are severe. According to global standards, 'underage' is defined as under 18, with the World Health Organization warning against pregnancies before the age of 20 due to major health risks for both mother and baby. Young mothers face heightened dangers of severe bleeding, anaemia, miscarriage, obstructed labour, and premature births, increasing the likelihood of low-weight or unhealthy infants.
Afghanistan's maternal mortality rate stands at a staggering 600 per 100,000 live births, according to a June report by the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This compares dramatically with 12 in the UK, 16 in Iran, and 155 in Pakistan. The report attributes these high figures partly to restrictions on women in healthcare and a shortage of rural health workers, further compounding the dangers faced by young mothers.