Human Rights and Health Status of Girls and Young Women in Afghanistan Under the New Democracy: Forced and Child Marriages

Abstract

Since many Afghans, especially in rural areas, favor traditional, customary, and tribal laws over national laws, they tend to disregard the constitution and national governmental structure under the new democracy that gives girls and women protection. These laws allow girls to attend school, and ban child marriage; therefore, the problems related to these practices should be decreasing. However, since many in the more rural areas of Afghanistan do not honor the regulations, laws, and rulings of the national government, serious problems still exist for girls and women. Those to be addressed in this chapter are high rates of illiteracy, child marriage, obstetrical fistulas, poor health, domestic violence, and self-immolation.

Citation

Parrot, A. (2011), "Human Rights and Health Status of Girls and Young Women in Afghanistan Under the New Democracy: Forced and Child Marriages", Wejnert, B. (Ed.) Democracies: Challenges to Societal Health (Research in Political Sociology, Vol. 19), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 11-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0895-9935(2011)0000019005