Several families, devastated economically after the Taliban’s takeover, have been compelled to force their daughters into unwanted marriages or pairings they have no interest in, due to the group’s stringent laws, the absence of clear educational programs, and the fear of forced marriages with Taliban members.
These young women state that the Taliban’s dominance has upended their lives, with consequences that will be felt for generations. According to them, some of these marriages have failed, but due to the lack of recourse, they are forced to endure harsh and exhausting conditions.
Zarafshan, a young woman who fell victim to economic pressures, recounts her story. She was a ninth-grade student when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. Zarafshan explains that after their takeover, her father lost his job, followed by her mother, plunging their family into severe financial hardship. She emphasizes that when a suitor approached, considering her family’s situation, she decided to marry, a decision her parents supported. However, she says this marriage marked the beginning of her misery.
She elaborates: “My fiancé was not only much older than me but also ill and emotionally unstable. He would call after sending mobile credit, hurl insults, and demand to know who I had spoken to and how I had used the credit. He was a volatile man; once, he even beat me in my own home and clashed with my parents. He threatened to tell my family I was a bad girl and involved with someone else if I didn’t obey him.” Zarafshan stresses that by agreeing to this marriage, she ruined her life and now sees no way out.
Sahar (pseudonym), another young woman with a similar experience, says her family’s financial collapse followed the Taliban’s takeover, with her mother’s teaching salary being their only income. She adds, “When a family came to propose, my father advised me to accept, saying at least someone would take care of me. My mother, pointing to the lack of clear educational opportunities, also suggested I agree to the marriage.”
Sahar explains that she grew up in a family where discriminatory attitudes and behaviors were part of daily life. She says accepting this marriage has made her life even more difficult and unbearable.
She emphasizes: “I was raised in a household where a daughter was seen as an extra burden. They didn’t like me going out or doing anything. When the suitor came, I accepted because I had no choice.” She adds that over a year into her marriage, the only change has been the form of violence; she now faces various forms of psychological and physical abuse in her husband’s home. Sahar stresses that there is no one to listen to her plight, and she doesn’t know what to do or where to seek refuge.
She continues: “Every time there’s a problem, even if it’s my husband’s fault, I’m the one blamed. He gathers my clothes, throws them out, and tells me to leave his house. But where can I go? Back to my mother’s home? A place where there’s no longer room for me.”
Meanwhile, findings by the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that some officials of religious schools affiliated with the Taliban in areas around Pul-e-Khumri and other parts of the province have been demanding photos from girls under the pretext of processing documents. These photos are then sent to Taliban members for marriage selection. According to available information, this practice has persisted over the past three years. Girls who reject marriage proposals from Taliban members are either forced into marriage or threatened with the withholding of educational documents if they do not comply.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, restrictions and harsh laws against women have intensified. The Taliban have labeled women’s voices and their presence in media as Awrah (private) and have imposed policies that, according to human rights organizations, constitute clear examples of crimes against humanity and gender apartheid.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
دختران قربانی ازدواجهای اجباری؛ حکایت تلخ زیر سایه سرکوب طالبان
