The Veiled Truth: Exploring The Complexities Of Arranged Marriages In Afghanistan

Arranged marriages have been a long-standing tradition in Afghanistan, with the practice being deeply rooted in the country's cultural and religious norms. In the past, the decision-making process for marriages was often influenced by tribal customs and family expectations. While arranged marriages are still prevalent in Afghanistan today, the dynamics have evolved, and the issue has become more complex due to political and social changes in the country. The Taliban's return to power in 2021 brought about new decrees regarding women's rights, including their stance on forced marriages. Despite their statements against forced marriages and their calls for women's consent, the reality on the ground suggests that Afghan women continue to face pressure and threats related to marriage, especially when it comes to unions with Taliban fighters.

The Taliban's stance on forced marriage

In December 2021, the Taliban, through their supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, issued a decree banning forced marriages in Afghanistan. The decree stated that "both (women and men) should be equal," and that "no one can force women to marry by coercion or pressure." It also allowed widows to remarry 17 weeks after their husband's death and choose their husband freely, instead of being forced to marry a relative of their deceased husband as was customary.

However, women's rights activists and international human rights advocates have expressed skepticism about the decree's implementation and the Taliban's true intentions. There is mounting anecdotal evidence that the Taliban fighters are using threats and violence to force women into marriage. For example, in August 2021, a Taliban fighter threatened to rape and kill Sooma's children if she did not marry him. Sooma, a widow and mother of five, eventually succumbed to the pressure and was forced to marry the fighter with a mullah's consent.

Moreover, the Taliban's conservative Islamic ideology considers women as "kaniz" (commodities) or "qhanimat" (spoils of war), which gives their fighters a sense of entitlement over women, especially in conquered territories. In July 2021, when the Taliban took control of the Saighan district in Bamiyan province, they demanded the names and ages of girls and women they intended to marry off to their young fighters. This caused terror among the local women, who fled the district to escape forced marriages and sex slavery.

The Taliban's mixed messages and denials regarding forced marriages present a clear case of "do what we say, not what we do." While they have publicly denounced forced marriages, their leaders have taken multiple wives themselves, and there is little evidence of enforcement of the ban at the grassroots level.

The international community's recognition of the Taliban government and the restoration of aid to Afghanistan are partly contingent on improving women's rights and addressing forced marriages. However, the Taliban's recent decrees on women's rights, including the ban on forced marriages, do not mention women's access to education and the workplace, which are central interests of the international community.

Overall, while the Taliban have officially banned forced marriages, their actions and ideology suggest a continued tolerance, if not encouragement, of the practice, exacerbating concerns about the state of women's rights in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Child marriage

Factors contributing to child marriage in Afghanistan include gender dynamics, family structure, cultural, political, and economic perceptions/ideologies. Poverty is a significant factor, with parents marrying off their daughters to receive a dowry or alleviate financial difficulties. Regional customs and Sharia law often take precedence over national law, which sets the legal age of marriage to 16 for females and 18 for males.

The Taliban's takeover in August 2021 exacerbated the situation, with reports of child marriages on the rise. The group's restrictions on women's education, employment, and freedom of movement have limited women's options and made them more vulnerable to forced marriages. Additionally, the economic crisis and food insecurity have pushed families deeper into poverty, leading to desperate decisions.

Despite the Taliban's decree banning forced marriages and requiring women's consent, there are concerns about the lack of enforcement and the group's track record on women's rights. The international community has frozen funding for Afghanistan, demanding improvements in women's rights as a precondition for engagement.

To address child marriage, there is a need for sustained pressure from the international community, as well as a comprehensive system involving schools and government agencies to educate society about the harmful effects of child marriage.

Women's rights in Afghanistan

During the first Taliban regime (1996-2001), women had very little freedom, especially in terms of civil liberties. They were forbidden from working, denied education, and forced to stay at home. Women who once had respectable positions were forced to beg on the streets to survive.

After the Taliban was overthrown by the United States following the 9/11 attacks, women's rights gradually improved under the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Women were legally equal to men under the 2004 Constitution. However, this progress was short-lived.

When the Taliban seized power again in August 2021, they imposed severe restrictions on women. Women are barred from travelling more than 70 kilometres without a male relative and are mandated to wear face coverings that reveal only their eyes. They are banned from working in most sectors outside of health and education and are prohibited from studying in secondary schools and universities. Women are also restricted from public spaces, such as parks and gyms, and beauty salons run by women were ordered to shut down.

The Taliban has issued a decree banning forced marriages and stating that women should not be considered property and must consent to marriage. However, there are concerns about the implementation and enforcement of this decree, as well as the lack of a minimum age specified for marriage.

Despite the decree, there are reports of Taliban fighters using threats and violence to force women into marriage. Women's rights activists in Afghanistan continue to fight against the Taliban's fundamentalism, even at the risk of severe reprisals.

The situation for women in Afghanistan is dire, with limited access to education, employment, and basic freedoms. The international community has frozen funds and aid, and there are calls for intervention to protect the rights of women and girls in the country.

The role of tradition and culture

In Afghanistan, tradition and culture have played a significant role in shaping marriage practices, with customs such as "honour killings" and "baad", the practice of selling girls to pay off family debts, still prevalent in the country despite being outlawed. The country's longstanding tribal traditions have also influenced marriage norms, particularly regarding widows, who are customarily expected to marry one of their deceased husband's brothers or relatives. This practice is rooted in the patriarchal culture's notion of protecting the "honour" of both the widow and the family.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission estimates that between 60 and 80 per cent of marriages in the country are forced, with approximately 57 per cent of girls married before the age of 16. The rates of child and forced marriages were already exceptionally high in Afghanistan even before the Taliban's return to power in 2021. UNICEF estimates that nearly 28 per cent of Afghan women and girls between 15 and 49 years were married before turning 18.

The Taliban's return to power has exacerbated concerns about women's rights in the country, particularly regarding marriage, education, and employment. While the Taliban issued a decree in 2021 banning forced marriages and stating that women should not be considered "property" and must consent to marriage, the group's track record on women's rights and their previous rule from 1996 to 2001, when they banned women from public life and schools, have left many sceptical about their commitment to upholding women's rights.

The economic situation in Afghanistan, characterised by poverty and humanitarian crises, has also contributed to the rise in child and forced marriages, as families marry off their young daughters in exchange for a "bride price" to sustain themselves. Additionally, the lack of access to education for girls and women has further exacerbated their vulnerability, as education is often a protective factor against child marriage.

Despite the Taliban's decree against forced marriages, there is mounting anecdotal evidence that Taliban fighters are using threats of violence to interpret traditional marriage terms to satisfy their personal desires. This has resulted in women and girls being forced to marry Taliban fighters, with families feeling pressured to comply due to the group's power and influence.

International efforts to prevent forced marriage

The United Nations (UN) views forced marriage as a form of human rights abuse, as it violates the principle of the freedom and autonomy of individuals. The UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes a target to end child, early, and forced marriage. The UN has also passed resolutions against child, early, and forced marriages, recognising them as human rights violations.

In 2013, the first UN Human Rights Council resolution against child, early, and forced marriages was adopted. This resolution recognises child, early, and forced marriage as involving violations of human rights, preventing individuals from living their lives free from all forms of violence. It also states that the elimination of child, early, and forced marriage should be considered in the discussion of the post-2015 development agenda. The elimination of this harmful practice is one of the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.

The United States is taking a whole-of-government approach to address the issue of child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM) by committing up to $5.3 million to prevent CEFM in regions, countries, and communities where interventions are most needed. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will work alongside lawmakers to increase U.S. support for efforts to prevent CEFM. USAID also invests in research to expand knowledge on effective interventions to prevent CEFM and programs to address the needs of married adolescents in regions where the practice is most prevalent.

Canada is also working to end child, early, and forced marriage, raising awareness, and generating action to empower girls around the world. They are investing in projects that prevent the practice, supporting girls and women who were child brides, and building partnerships to fully implement the 2030 Agenda. Canada leads efforts to develop resolutions to end this practice, and has worked closely with regional organizations, including the Commonwealth, la Francophonie, and the African Union, to end child, early, and forced marriage.

In addition to international efforts, some countries have taken legal action to criminalise forced marriage. For example, Afghanistan made forced marriage a criminal offense in 2009, and Indonesia banned forced marriages in 2022, with offenders facing up to nine years in prison.

Frequently asked questions