KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A 45-year-old man has married a six-year-old girl in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, according to Hasht-e Subh Daily, an independent Afghan media outlet now operating in exile.
Citing local sources, the outlet reported that the marriage took place in Helmand’s Marjah district. The man, who already has two wives, reportedly married the child in exchange for money paid to her family.
Local Taliban authorities have not commented on the incident. However, the report says they have so far prevented the girl from being taken to the man’s house.
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, child and early marriages have been on the rise across Afghanistan. Activists link the rise to worsening poverty and strict restrictions on women and girls, especially the ban on female education.
UN Women reported last year that the Taliban’s restriction on girl’s education led to a 25% increase in child marriages and a 45% rise in childbearing across the country.
Rights groups have repeatedly urged international action, warning that child marriage endangers girls’ lives and harms their mental, physical, and social wellbeing.
They say girls forced into early marriages often face serious consequences, including early pregnancies, domestic abuse, and social isolation.
