KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – One in every two girls in Afghanistan were married before the age of 18, with child marriage continuing to threaten girls’ education, health and future opportunities, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Sunday, marking the International Day of the Girl Child.
According to UNICEF, 28.7 percent of women aged 20 to 24 in Afghanistan were married before turning 18, based on the Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2022–2023. In some parts of the country, the rate reaches one in every two girls, the agency said.
In a statement published on October 11, UNICEF warned that child marriage has serious consequences for girls’ health and well-being, interrupts their education and limits their opportunities. It also increases their exposure to violence and social isolation, while raising the risks associated with early pregnancy and childbirth.
The agency said pregnancy-related complications are among the leading causes of death among girls aged 15 to 19 in Afghanistan, underscoring the health risks faced by those who marry and become pregnant at an early age.
However, UNICEF stressed that child marriage is preventable. Globally, an estimated 68 million child marriages have been averted over the past 25 years through investment in girls’ education, legal reforms and social protection programmes.
In Afghanistan, UNICEF called for coordinated action to protect girls’ right to education, strengthen safeguards for those at risk of child marriage, support vulnerable families and communities, and expand access to essential health, education and protection services. It also urged families, religious and community leaders, service providers and international partners to work together to end the practice.
Although education alone cannot eliminate child marriage, UNICEF said keeping girls in school is one of the most effective ways to protect their rights. The agency renewed its call on the Taliban authorities to reopen schools to girls above grade six and ensure that adolescent girls can continue their education.
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, called for renewed commitment to ending child marriage by promoting healthy childhoods, advocating for access to education and creating opportunities for every Afghan girl to shape her own future.
The appeal comes as the Taliban authorities continue to bar girls from secondary education beyond grade six, a restriction imposed after they returned to power in August 2021. Women were also prohibited from attending universities in December 2022.
UNICEF said in August 2026 that more than 2.6 million girls had been denied secondary education since the ban was introduced, making Afghanistan the only country in the world where secondary and higher education are effectively closed to girls and women. The agency has warned that being excluded from school leaves girls more vulnerable to child marriage, child labour, exploitation and gender-based violence.
Poverty, displacement and limited access to essential services can further increase the risks facing girls. UNICEF has previously noted that some families facing economic hardship may resort to marrying off their daughters to reduce household expenses. The closure of schools also deprives girls of a protective environment and limits their access to learning, social support and opportunities for independence.
Data from the Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2022–2023 also show that 9.6 percent of women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 15. The survey found that child marriage was more prevalent among women from poorer households and those with lower levels of education, highlighting the links between economic vulnerability, limited educational opportunities and early marriage.
The consequences extend beyond individual girls. In April 2026, UNICEF warned that continued restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment could leave Afghanistan short of up to 20,000 women teachers and 5,400 female health workers by 2030. The agency estimated that the restrictions were already costing the country approximately $84 million annually in lost economic output.
UNICEF has called on the Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on girls’ education and allow women and girls to participate fully in society. It also said it would continue working with local communities and partners to protect girls at risk of child marriage, including adolescent mothers, by helping them access education, life-skills training, healthcare and protection services.
The agency’s warning highlights the overlapping challenges facing Afghan girls, as the prohibition on education, economic hardship and gaps in protection services threaten their ability to make independent choices about their futures.
