Taliban Writes Child Marriage Into Law, Treating Girls' Silence as Consent After 5-Year School Ban
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 24
Taliban Writes Child Marriage Into Law, Treating Girls' Silence as Consent After 5-Year School Ban
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 24
New Taliban rules this week imply legal approval of child marriage and allow a minor girl's silence to be treated as consent, tightening restrictions on Afghan girls already barred from education beyond grade six.
Nearly five years after secondary schools closed to girls, families interviewed said the ban has narrowed daughters' futures to marriage, with some fearing Taliban scrutiny if unmarried young women remain at home.
Two million girls could be deprived of education beyond primary school by 2030 if the ban continues, the UN says, in a country where three in four people already cannot meet basic needs.
Taliban officials still offer no timetable for reopening schools: a spokesman this month called post-primary education restrictions a 'separate issue' and referred questions to the education ministry, which did not respond.
Women interviewed described feeling trapped, abandoned and erased from public life, saying the education ban and marriage pressure have turned institutional discrimination into a permanent reality.
With international courts pursuing Taliban leaders, why do Afghan girls still feel completely abandoned by the world?
As Taliban officials divert humanitarian aid, are they profiting from the very crisis their education ban created?
Afghanistan 2026: How the Taliban’s “Principles of Separation” Law Fuels Child Marriage and Erodes Women’s Rights
Overview
In May 2026, the Taliban government in Afghanistan introduced the 'Principles of Separation Between Spouses' law, sparking global condemnation and serious human rights concerns. Critics argue that the law severely undermines the rights of Afghan girls and women, especially by legalizing child marriage and restricting women's freedoms. The Taliban claims the law follows Islamic principles and denies accusations of forced marriage, but Muslim scholars and experts challenge this interpretation, pointing out that true Islamic teachings oppose compulsion and mistreatment of women. This clash highlights a deep divide between the Taliban's stance and broader views on women's rights and justice.