“Crisis in Afghanistan: The Rise of Forced Child Marriage” — what this page in the network covers. Human rights advocates are warning of a devastating epidemic of child marriage in Afghanistan, with estimates suggesting that up to 70 percent of girls could soon be forced into early unions. This alarming trend is exacerbated by a new law that effectively strips women of the right to divorce without their husband's consent, leaving them in a legally subordinate and vulnerable position.
Journalist and activist Mursal Sayas, founder of the NGO Women Beyond Borders, discusses the dire social consequences of these legislative changes. This "shameful" new law further undermines gender equality, leaving Afghan women with few legal protections in an increasingly restrictive society. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.