Activists have condemned the Taliban for what they say is the legal recognition of child marriage in Afghanistan for the first time, following the approval of a new divorce law that makes it nearly impossible for girls and young women to seek divorce against their husbands' will.
There are no official statistics on forced and underage marriages, but activists report a sharp rise since the Taliban banned girls from education after age 11. One informal estimate suggests that about 70% of girls have been pushed into early or forced marriage, with 66% of these marriages involving girls under 18.
The new law, approved last week, appears to prevent a girl who claims she was married against her will from obtaining a divorce if her husband disagrees. It also suggests that a woman cannot divorce her husband solely on grounds of his absence or failure to provide financial support.
Protests have been reported in Kabul, with women's rights groups calling the law systemic violence. Fatima, an activist, said: 'After issuing hundreds of anti-women decrees, the Taliban are now attempting to institutionalise child marriage within the formal legal structure.'
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern, with Georgette Gagnon stating the law 'entrenches a system in which Afghan women and girls are denied autonomy, opportunity and access to justice.' A Taliban spokesman dismissed criticism, saying: 'We should pay no attention to the protests of those who are hostile.'
