Kabul: Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, has expressed grave worry over Afghan girls becoming increasingly vulnerable to child marriage in the war-torn country. In a statement, she SAID, "We have received solid complaints of families offering children as young as 20 days old up for future marriage in exchange for a dowry."

According to reports, UNICEF's partners reported 183 child weddings and 10 cases of child selling in Herat and Badghis provinces alone between 2018 and 2019, even before the recent political unrest. She said the youngsters ranged in age from six months to seventeen years. According to the UN agency, 28% of Afghan women aged 15 to 49 were married before they were 18.

The Covid-19 outbreak, the continuous food crisis, and the arrival of winter have aggravated the situation for families, compelling them to make desperate decisions like employing youngsters and marrying off young females.Because most teenage girls are still not permitted to return to school, the probability of child marriage has increased, according to Fore.

UNICEF is collaborating with partners to promote community awareness about the dangers of early marriage for girls. Marriage as a child can result in a lifetime of misery. Girls who marry before they reach the age of 18 are more likely to endure domestic violence, prejudice, abuse, and poor mental health. They're also more prone to difficulties throughout pregnancy and labour, she said.

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