6-Year-Old Girl Reportedly Sold Into Marriage To 45-Year-Old Man In Afghanistan
A case from Afghanistan’s Helmand province has sparked international condemnation after reports emerged that a six-year-old girl was allegedly sold into marriage to a 45-year-old man. The incident, which took place in the Marjah district, highlights the growing concerns over a rise in child marriages since the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021.
According to Amu.tv, the child’s father reportedly received payment in exchange for the marriage arrangement. The groom, who already has two wives, allegedly negotiated the union through the customary practice of walwar, a bride price determined by the girl’s appearance, education, and perceived value.
Images from the ceremony, circulated on social media, show the man posing with the visibly young girl, prompting outrage across Afghan communities and among international human rights groups. The backlash intensified after reports suggested that Taliban officials, though disturbed by the marriage, did not annul it but instead intervened to delay the girl’s relocation to her husband’s home until she turns nine. Both the father and the groom were briefly detained by local Taliban authorities but were released without formal charges. The child is reportedly still living with her parents.
Afghanistan currently has no legally enforced minimum age for marriage. The country’s former civil code, which set the minimum age for girls at 16, has not been reinstated under Taliban rule. A 2024 report by UN Women revealed a troubling increase in child marriages and early pregnancies in Afghanistan, linking the trend to restrictions on girls’ education and worsening economic conditions. The report recorded a 25% rise in child marriages and a 45% increase in early childbearing since the Taliban’s return to power.
Human rights organizations have renewed calls for urgent international attention, warning that the normalization of such practices poses severe threats to the safety, health, and future of Afghan girls. As global outrage grows, activists continue to demand stronger protections for children and the immediate restoration of laws prohibiting child marriage.
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