Afghanistan has effectively lowered the marriage age for girls to 9 years.
According to Oxu.Az citing The Times, the change is reflected in the "Code on Judicial Separation of Spouses." The decision was approved by Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.
The document reinterprets the permissible age for girls' marriage, linking it directly to the onset of puberty, which can begin as early as 8 years. Under local Sharia traditions, the minimum age for marriage is set at 9.
Previously, the official marriage age was 16 for girls and 18 for boys. Girls under 16 could marry only with special permission from their fathers, grandfathers, or the court.
