Virgin girl’s silence treated as marriage consent under new Taliban family law
Taliban marriage rules
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has brought in a new family law that’s stirring up a lot of discussion. It covers things like marriage, divorce, child marriage, and disagreements within families. Amu TV, an Afghan news channel, reported that their top leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, approved this 31-part rulebook. It then became official in mid-May.
One part of the law that’s getting a lot of attention says that if a virgin girl who has gone through puberty stays quiet, it can be seen as her saying yes to marriage. But the law makes it clear that if a married woman or a boy stays quiet, that doesn’t count as consent.
It also talks about something called “Khiyar al-Bulugh,” or “the option of puberty.” This is an Islamic legal idea that lets children get married but also gives them a way out later. They can use a Taliban court order to cancel the marriage once they reach puberty.
The law gives fathers and other family members a lot of power when it comes to arranging marriages for young people. It also deals with situations like husbands who go missing, claims of adultery, forced breakups, leaving the faith, and disagreements about religion.
Groups around the world that focus on human rights have been critical of the Taliban. They say the Taliban have made things even harder for women and girls since they took control again in August 2021. Girls in Afghanistan can’t go to school past sixth grade. Women, on the other hand, have very tight rules about where they can work, where they can go, and what they can do publicly.
The group Girls Not Brides says that almost a third of girls in Afghanistan get married before they turn 18.
Taliban marriage rules
