In Afghanistan’s Helmand province, where sand dunes and poverty create a grim backdrop for human tragedies, another heart-wrenching story has unfolded. A six-year-old girl was married off to a 45-year-old man in the Marjah district, local sources reported. The incident sparked widespread outrage after photographs from the ceremony began circulating on social media, exposing the harsh reality of child marriages under Taliban rule.
According to local media, the girl’s father handed her over in exchange for money. The “groom,” a man already married to two other wives, made no effort to conceal his intentions. Images of him standing next to the visibly underage girl, dressed in traditional attire, went viral, igniting a firestorm of anger among internet users and human rights advocates. They described the incident as a “blatant violation of human dignity.”
The Taliban, who control the region, intervened but their response only underscored the absurdity and cynicism of the situation. The man was briefly detained but faced no charges. Instead, he was instructed to “wait until the girl turns nine” before taking her to his home. This leniency from the authorities deepens the sense of impunity and fuels the spread of child marriages in Afghanistan’s southern provinces, particularly in Helmand, Kandahar, and Zabul.
This case is far from isolated. Human rights organizations are sounding the alarm over the rising number of child marriages in areas under strong Taliban control. The absence of a clear legal framework, weak oversight, and tacit support for such practices by local authorities create fertile ground for this “human catastrophe” to thrive. According to UN reports, the Taliban government not only ignores the issue but exacerbates the discrimination against women and girls, restricting their access to education, work, travel, and even healthcare.
Notably, the Taliban have imposed rules prohibiting unmarried women from working in medical facilities unless accompanied by a male guardian (mahram). Women who experience abuse are sent to prisons under the guise of “protection.” These measures, the Taliban claim, are meant to “safeguard” women, but in reality, they deepen their isolation and vulnerability.
The global community has not remained silent. Canada, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands have announced plans to file a case against the Taliban at the International Court of Justice for systematic discrimination against women. Yet, tangible change remains elusive. Since seizing power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, the Taliban have enforced archaic laws that are dragging Afghanistan back to the Dark Ages. Women and girls have become the primary victims of this regime, with child marriages being just one manifestation of their oppressive policies.
Interestingly, restrictions are not limited to women. In recent months, the Taliban have imposed stringent rules on men, mandating mosque attendance and requiring them to grow beards. These measures reflect a broader effort to exert total control over society, where individual freedom is becoming a distant memory.
The six-year-old girl from Helmand is not just a victim of a single marriage. She is a symbol of thousands of girls whose voices are silenced by patriarchal traditions and radical ideologies. Human rights advocates are calling for decisive international action, but Afghanistan remains a prison for women and children, where even the most egregious human rights violations go unpunished.
The incident in Marjah is not merely the tragedy of one child—it is a cry for help from an entire nation held hostage by a regime that justifies violence as “protection.” The world cannot stand idly by as six-year-old girls are forced into marriage, their futures destroyed before they even have a chance to dream.