161 Afghan children betrothed, married or sold because their parents are in debt —UN

With a devastating drought worsening an already horrendous humanitarian situation in Afghanistan , parents are increasingly compelled to “ sell ” young daughters into marriage to pay off debt or buy food , the UN said Tuesday .

In the drought- hit Herat and Baghdis provinces of Afghanistan , the UN children ’ s agency estimates that at least 161 children between the ages of one month and 16 years were “ sold ” over just a four- month period .

“ The situation of children is dire in Afghanistan , ”

UNICEF spokeswoman Alison Parker told reporters in Geneva.

Speaking as an international conference on Afghanistan got underway in the Swiss city , Parker said the children in July to October survey were “ either being betrothed , married or … sold because their parents are in debt . ”

“ Prior to the drought, over 80 per cent of households were already in debt, ” she said , adding that many people who had hoped to pay off their debt when crops came in have been unable to do so .

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“ Unfortunately the children are now becoming the collateral , ” she said .

The youngest girls in the survey, some just babies , had been betrothed while girls of 11 and even younger were married off.

Six of the 161 affected children were boys , she said , adding that “ there is an increase in child forced labour . ”

Parker pointed out that “the practice of child marriage is sort of an ingrained social norm in Afghanistan , ” with 35 per cent of the population engaging in the practice across the country, and as high as 80 per cent in some places .

“ Unfortunately it is getting worse . Children are paying the price for conflict , children are paying the price for the drought, ” she said .

– ‘ Very shocking ’ –
Members of Afghan civil society who have gathered in Geneva for the conference agreed that there had been a clear increase in young girls being “ sold ” into marriage .

“ It is very , very shocking , ” said Suraya Pakzad , who heads Voice of Women, Afghanistan .

“ Girls aged between 8 - 12 years old ( are being ) sold to old men to solve the economic issues of their families, ” she told reporters on the sidelines of the conference .

She described speaking with a father who had “ sold ” his seven - year- old daughter into marriage , and who said he had no other choice .

She said he had told her : “ I love my daughter. I know what I did . I am suffering from that . But can you give me some option? I have five other daughters . I may not do the same to them if you give me some options today to feed my children . ”

“ People are in desperate need of help , services. Particularly food , ” she added .
The UN refugee agency also said that the worst drought in decades has made a desperate situation worse .

The drought and ongoing conflict have seen more than a quarter of a million Afghans being displaced in the west of the country since April alone , UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said .