Insights
Afghan Women’s Opinions Regarding Marriageable Age and Underage Marriages
Download the PDF Peace Brief of this Insight
Share this page
Summary
- 3,848 women from the provinces of Herat, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Balkh, Badakhshan, Badghis, Kabul, Takhar, Bamiyan, Ghazni, Ghor, Kandahar, Kunar, Daikundi, Panjshir, Kunar, Jawzjan, Farah, Faryab, Bamyan, Baghlan, Helmand, Panjshir, Parwan, and Paktia were polled on what constituted marriageable age and what their perception of community ideas around marriage are.
- When asked what their communities considered an acceptable age for marriage, a majority of (54%) of respondents said 18-25 years old. This age range was the highest-selected option zooming into individual provinces except in the case of Daikundi and Faryab where larger numbers reported lower age ranges.
- An even larger majority of (74%) of respondents believed 18-25 was the right age range for marriage. Consistent majorities selected this option across education levels and age ranges. “Above 25” was consistently the second-most popular choice among each education and age bloc.
- When asked what a likely community response would be to a girl not getting married while within the acceptable age bracket, answers were divided between those who said the family would stand out negatively as different (25%), those who said the community would be indifferent (24%), and those who said she would be regarded as an economic burden to the family (21%). Those three options were typically the most selected province to province with “economic burden” sometimes taking the lead as in provinces like Jawzjan or Faryab.
- A large majority of (70%) of respondents said they knew of a family in their community who married their daughters at an age they found inappropriate. That number rose in provinces like Nangarhar (89%), Daikundi (87%), or Farah (80%) but was down in provinces like Baghlan (59%) or Kabul (54%). Bamyan is a standout with (53%) saying they did not know such a family.
Data Explorer
Welcome to our Survey Data Explorer. Using Microsoft Power BI you can see the results of this month’s survey, and use the interactive controls to explore the data in more detail.
Page Controls: Navigate through different pages of the dashboard by clicking on the page numbers or using the arrows to move forward or backward.
Full Screen: Click the arrows icon button located at the bottom right corner of the visualization.
Filters: Use the drop-down menus to filter the data based on specific criteria such as province, age group, or profession.
Focus Group Discussion
FGD - September 2023 - Dari
FGD - September 2023 - Pashto
The response of focus group participants to the question of what age girls are currently getting married at in their communities is consistent across all provinces: though the age range may slightly vary from area to area, there is a clear difference between what was considered “marriageable age” under the Republic (usually 18-25) and what is considered acceptable today, with marriageable age now starting at 14 in most areas but with plenty of instances of girls getting married at even younger ages.
Most if not all focus group participants know or have heard of underage marriages in their areas, surpassing even the large majority of survey respondents who reported such instances.
All regional focus groups attribute these drops in age ranges to the new bans in place on women’s education, employment, mobility, and more. It is clear to all participants that these opportunities were critical in persuading families to delay marriage for their daughters while they completed these milestones. With these opportunities now out of reach, families are much quicker to resort to marrying off their daughters for financial and security related reasons. That’s especially true if Taliban-affiliated suitors are looking for potential brides.
“Due to the restrictions on women in the current condition, not only are underage marriages happening but in areas far from the city, the Taliban marry girls by force and even threaten their families,” explains one participant from Parwan. One participant from Kabul underlined this threat: Families that have many young girls feel insecure; therefore, they have to marry their daughters as soon as they receive a proposal. They fear the Taliban will force the family to marry a girl to Taliban soldiers and they fear kidnapping.”
All participants either are part of or know of covert women’s resistance to Taliban bans. Most frequently, this takes the form of onsite or online educational courses and vocational trainings (typically in handicrafts) for women and girls. One participant from Ghazni offered an answer that was actually quite typical of focus group participants: “We have women who are teaching other women in their homes in different areas such as tailoring, beauty parlors, or other educational courses.” Many also mention women running small businesses quietly from home. Still others have mentioned scattered protests.
The final question around what options girls have if they do not want to be married is the only one that notably split participants. A large portion of responses despaired that there was nothing that could be done if the daughter wanted a delay, especially if families were determined for the marriage to take place. Some participants even stated that given the circumstances, the stability of marriage might be the only reasonable option in any case. Among those that tried to propose solutions, persuading the family was the most commonly discussed hurdle with the belief that if the family could be persuaded, the marriage would not take place. Other participants proposed that the knowledge of Islamic law held by imams, mullahs, and community elders would help persuade the families involved to call off the marriage. A typical answer might look like the one given by a participant in Badakhshan who said: “Girls should consult with family elders and imams of the mosque because according to Islam, girl’s consent is important.”
News Feed
Read More Surveys
Access to Health for Women and Girls in Afghanistan
A survey of 8,085 women across 33 provinces on how women and girls access healthcare under Taliban rule. Respondents identified where they seek medical help, which female health providers their communities lack, and the main obstacles they face in receiving treatment. The findings highlight the severe constraints shaping women’s health choices and their limited access to essential care.
Afghan Women’s Perspectives on Governance under Taliban Rule
A survey involved 7,988 women from 33 provinces was conducted to assess Afghan women’s perspectives on governance under Taliban rule. This survey explore women’s experiences and perspectives on how Taliban governance affects their lives. The survey reveals the challenges women face and offers valuable insights into women’s social and personal struggles during this period.
Women’s Access to Justice under Taliban Governance
A survey of 6,550 women across 33 provinces was conducted to assess women’s access to justice—identifying the key legal issues they seek assistance for, the mechanisms they turn to for resolution, and the barriers they face in accessing legal services.
Follow Us
Join Our Newsletter
Stay informed about our latest news and events
Contact Us
Email: info@dropsafghanistan.org
Website: dropsafghanistan.org