KABUL, Afghanistan- Seven years after the Taleban regime ended, women in Afghanistan are still plagued by extremely high rates of violence.  High levels of poverty are causing families to sell their daughters into forced marriage.  Some of these girls are as young as six and they are being forced into a life of slavery and rape, often by multiple members of their new families.

In 2007, the Afghan government passed a law banning marriage to girls under 16 years old.  Despite this, in 57 per cent of marriages the bride is under 16 according to a recent report by Womankind Worldwide.  There are laws in place to protect women, but the Afghan government does not enforce them.

Because of their violent home situations, many of these women turn to self-harm and suicide.

For more information, please see:

The Independent – Women’s lives worse than ever – 25 February 2008

BBC News – Afghan women ‘remain in danger’ – 25 February 2008