Taliban Legalizes Child Marriage and Considers Silence as Consent

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has formally legitimized child marriage through a new family law decree published in the regime’s official gazette in mid-May 2026.

The 31-article regulation, titled Principles of Separation Between Spouses, was approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The decree establishes formal rules and specific guidelines for marriages involving minors.

Consent and Annulment Rules

Under the new regulations, the silence of a virgin girl may be interpreted as consent to marriage. This provision effectively removes the requirement for explicit verbal or written agreement from the girl in such cases.

The decree also outlines the conditions under which a marriage involving a child may be dissolved. A female child who is legally married to an adult man may seek an annulment upon puberty, but such a request is only granted if it is approved by a Taliban court.

Scope of the Family Law Decree

Beyond child marriage, the Principles of Separation Between Spouses provides a framework for dissolving marriages under various religious and legal conditions. These include regulations regarding missing husbands, forced separation and accusations of adultery.

The regulations also include specific guidelines concerning breastfeeding relations as they pertain to the dissolution of marital bonds.

Economic Drivers and Child Marriage Prevalence

The formalization of these rules occurs against a backdrop of extreme poverty in Afghanistan. Families facing financial collapse routinely enter into marriage deals involving infants to pay off debts or secure basic survival.

Reports indicate that some girls are betrothed as young as 20 days old. Human rights groups state that the price for a child bride typically ranges between $500 and $3,000.

According to the charity Girls Not Brides, nearly one-third of Afghan girls are married before they reach the age of 18.