Closing The Gap—improving Laws Protecting Women From Violence

A girl who is married before reaching the age of majority loses the ability to make decisions before she can legally make them for herself. In Afghanistan, where the age of majority is 18, girls can get married at 16, or as early as 15 with their father’s consent. Marrying a girl before she is capable of consenting and has not yet achieved the necessary physical, emotional, or mental maturity, can have negative consequences, including early pregnancy and abuse.