POLITICS — June 18, 2026
UN Experts Criticize Taliban Decree on Separation of Couples
Issued in April 2026 after endorsement by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the regulations grant greater authority to male guardians and contradict prior consent requirements for adult women.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Amu TV — corroborated by Afghanistan International — 2 min read
UN experts have warned that a Taliban decree regulating the separation of couples risks legitimizing child marriage and exposing women and girls to further abuse.
The regulations, issued by the Ministry of Justice in April 2026 and endorsed by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, grant increased decision-making authority to male guardians in marriage matters. Experts said the provisions make it nearly impossible for girls to report domestic violence and seek divorce.
The decree contradicts an earlier Taliban order that required the consent of adult women for marriage and may disproportionately affect religious minorities, including Shiites. Restrictions on women's movement, education, and employment further limit their ability to access justice under the new rules.
Afghanistan remains bound by international conventions including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention Against Torture. The experts called for repeal of the discriminatory provisions and said they are preparing a detailed analysis of the regulations.
Read the original reporting at Amu TV →
Reliability assessment
Two independent sources corroborate the core event of UN experts issuing a statement criticizing the Taliban decree on separation of couples for enabling child marriage and harming women's rights.
The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Afghanistan International: "further weakens the rights of women and girls", "makes women and girls more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation", "structural discrimination against women" - these phrases frame the decree negatively with opinion language implying inherent harm and bias without neutral presentation of the rules.; Amu TV: "expose women to further abuse and exploitation", "weakens the rights of women and girls", "discriminatory approach toward women and girls" — these phrases frame the decree negatively with value judgments on its impact and intent.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
Where reports agree
- UN experts warned that the Taliban separation regulations pave the way for child marriage and increase risks of abuse for women and girls.
- The regulations were issued by the Taliban Ministry of Justice in April 2026 and grant significant power to guardians and judges.
- Restrictions on women's movement, education, and work hinder access to justice under the decree.
- Experts called for repeal of discriminatory provisions and are preparing a detailed analysis.
Where reports differ
- Decree numbering differs: Afghanistan International references Decree No. 12 in context of violence, while Amu TV refers to Decree No. 18 for the separation regulations.
- Afghanistan International provides more specific article details (e.g., Article 3 on non-equal marriage, rules on husband's absence) not mentioned in Amu TV.
Filed by 2 outlets
Amu TV
Originating
Framed
Framed
Afghanistan International
Framed
Framed
Filed under
Politics — Taliban, UN Experts, Women's Rights, Child Marriage, Afghanistan
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