The Kabul Tribune (KT) — UNICEF has called for urgent action to end child marriage in Afghanistan, urging authorities, families and communities to protect girls’ rights, expand access to education and provide support to those at risk.
In a statement marking the International Day of the Girl, Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF representative in Afghanistan, said every girl deserves a childhood, access to education, protection from harm and the opportunity to shape her own future.
“Yet, for too many girls, childhood is cut short by child marriage and the loss of opportunities that should define these formative years,” Oyewale said.
According to Afghanistan’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for 2022-23, 28.7% of women ages 20 to 24 were married before turning 18. In some parts of the country, the proportion reached one in two girls, the survey found.
Child marriage has serious consequences for girls’ health and well-being, often disrupting their education and limiting future opportunities. It also increases the risk of violence and social isolation, as well as complications associated with early pregnancy and childbirth.
Pregnancy-related deaths are a leading cause of mortality among girls ages 15 to 19 in Afghanistan, UNICEF said.
The agency said child marriage is preventable, pointing to an estimated 68 million child marriages averted worldwide over the past 25 years through investments in girls’ education, legal reforms and social protection.
In Afghanistan, UNICEF called for a coordinated response focused on protecting girls’ right to education, strengthening support for those at risk of or affected by child marriage, helping vulnerable families cope with economic hardship and investing in health, education and protection services.
Oyewale said keeping girls in school is one of the most effective ways to protect their rights, although education alone cannot end child marriage.
UNICEF renewed its call on Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to reopen schools to adolescent girls beyond grade six. The agency also urged families, community members, religious leaders, service providers and the international community to work together to prevent child marriage.
UNICEF said it would continue working with communities and local partners to support adolescent girls, including adolescent mothers, by expanding access to education, life skills training, health care, protection and other essential services.
“On this International Day of the Girl, let us renew our commitment to end child marriage by promoting a healthy childhood, sustain advocacy for access to education and support opportunities for every girl child in Afghanistan,” Oyewale said.
