The Taliban have formally legalized child marriage in a newly published “Regulation on Separation Between Spouses” approved by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and recently released in the official gazette.
According to the regulation, if a child or underage girl is married off by a relative other than her father or grandfather, the marriage is still considered legally “valid.”
The document states that such marriages are recognized provided the couple are considered socially “compatible” and that the dowry corresponds to what is described as an appropriate “mahr.”
The regulation further says that if a person married during childhood later wishes to annul the marriage after reaching puberty, this can only occur through a court ruling.
Another section of the document addresses “milk kinship” and states that if a husband confirms the existence of such a relationship, the woman’s denial has no legal validity, resulting in the spouses being considered religiously forbidden to one another.
Under the same regulation, the testimony of one man is treated as equal to the testimony of two women.
The publication of the regulation comes amid continued international criticism over Taliban restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan.
Women’s rights activists warn that formal recognition of child marriage could increase the risk of forced marriages, deprive girls of education, and intensify domestic violence.
Legal experts also argue that such regulations conflict with international human rights standards and global conventions on the rights of children.
Analysts say the significance of the document lies not only in its social implications but also in the institutionalization of restrictive gender norms through officially codified legal structures.
According to specialists, the regulation reflects a broader transformation in Afghanistan’s legal environment, where gender roles, family rights, and women’s legal status are increasingly being redefined through Taliban-issued decrees and regulations.
