Taliban ‘legitimising child marriage’ with new edict, activists warn

Activists warn that new Taliban divorce laws in Afghanistan may legitimize child marriage by making it nearly impossible for girls and young women to seek divorce against their husbands' wishes. While no official statistics exist, activists report a significant rise in early and forced marriages, exacerbated by the ban on girls' education past age 11. The new law, approved last week, reportedly prevents divorce if a husband disagrees and does not allow it solely on grounds of absence or lack of financial support. Women's rights groups and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan have condemned the legislation, viewing it as a further erosion of women's rights and systemic discrimination. A Taliban spokesman dismissed the criticism, attributing it to those hostile to Islam.

The United Nations has expressed "grave concern" regarding a new law on marriage separation issued by Afghanistan's Taliban government. The UN stated that the decree, which includes provisions on child marriage, further entrenches discrimination against women and girls. Afghanistan's justice ministry published Decree No 18 last week, outlining rules for the judicial separation of spouses. The Taliban government rejected the accusations, asserting that the decree adheres to Islamic law and that forced marriage of girls has already been banned in the country.