Six-year-old girl 'married' to 45-year-old man; incident sparks global outrage
PTC Web Desk: In a deeply disturbing case emerging from southern Afghanistan, a six-year-old girl was allegedly sold and forced into marriage with a 45-year-old man. According to Amu.tv, the incident took place in Marjah district of Helmand province, where the man—already married to two women—reportedly paid the girl’s family in exchange for the marriage.
In a rare response, local Taliban officials intervened to stop the man from taking the girl to his home. However, their intervention was limited, as they reportedly stated that the girl could be sent to her husband’s home when she turns nine. As per Hasht-e Subh Daily, the girl remains with her parents, while both the groom and the father have been arrested, though no formal charges have yet been filed.
The incident, rooted in the custom of walwar—a bride price often based on a girl's physical attributes and perceived value—has ignited widespread condemnation across social media platforms and human rights circles. Photographs from the wedding ceremony, showing the visibly young girl beside the adult groom, have fueled public outrage.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan has witnessed a sharp rise in child marriages, fueled by poverty, social instability, and severe restrictions on women's rights, including a ban on girls’ education. The country currently lacks a legal minimum age for marriage, as the previous civil code setting the minimum at 16 has not been reinstated.
A UN Women report last year highlighted that the education ban has led to a 25% rise in child marriages and a 45% increase in early childbearing. Human rights groups continue to urge the international community to intervene, warning that such practices severely harm girls’ mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
Activists argue that child marriages lead to premature pregnancies, domestic abuse, and lifelong trauma, weakening Afghanistan’s prospects for future social and economic development. They call on global leaders to take immediate action to safeguard the rights and futures of Afghan girls.
- With inputs from agencies
