In the central Afghan province of Logar, where the British-led Operation Shakkarak is currently active, you can see signs of the fighting that the international community is now dealing with: huge roadblocks and checkpoints with minibuses of security personnel at every corner. But one area is where civilians are working to limit the damage that comes with conflict. They are holding on to stories of children who were offered into Islamic marriages, and of other children who fell prey to illicit forces.
Around a thousand Afghan women are rescued every year from the one the Taliban or the Afghan government forces usually blame: underage marriage. The nation’s Ministry of Women’s Affairs, which only deals with cases of forced child marriage, takes the risk of its own to verify the claim, distributing tens of thousands of documents to the more than 2,000 local councils across the country. They also help educate young women. This summer, Parwana’s case will reach the government, which has agreed to take action to stop it and provide her with new facilities and opportunities to attend school.
Read the full story at the Times.
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