KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A group of Afghan women activists, known as the Purple Saturdays Movement, has expressed serious concern about the sharp rise in forced and early marriages in Afghanistan. They are calling for urgent global action to tackle the growing crisis.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the movement said the number of forced marriages among underage girls has surged since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. This surge, they warned, threatens the mental, physical, and social wellbeing of future generations.
The activists said many girls, some not yet adolescents, are being forced into marriages with much older men. “Devoid of any physical or psychological preparedness, they are rapidly thrust into motherhood, becoming child mothers,” the statement said.
They highlighted the devastating consequences faced by these girls, including early childbirth, extreme poverty, domestic violence, and social isolation. The movement described the situation as a “black death,” a systematic erasure of innocence and potential in Afghan society.
The activists also criticized the international community’s “fragmented, project-based” responses to the human rights crisis in Afghanistan, arguing that such approaches have sometimes contributed to the escalation of the crisis.
They called for “genuine and unconditional solidarity” with Afghan women and girls, especially the millions at risk of child marriage and forced motherhood.
“Their message is loud and clear: ‘Do not abandon us. Do not support the Taliban,’” the activists said.
Since the Taliban’s return in 2021, women and girls have faced severe restrictions. They were banned from school beyond sixth grade, later prohibited from university, and excluded from most jobs.
These restrictions have had devastating effects, leading to a sharp increase in early and forced marriages, as well as a rise in self-harm and suicide among young women and girls across Afghanistan.
Despite repeated calls from much of the international community, including Islamic countries and organizations, the Taliban have yet to change course and lift restrictions on women and girls.
