Afghans forced to sell their children in a desperate bid to survive
Families resort to desperate measures as they struggle to feed their other children amid economic collapseByBen Farmer ISLAMABAD
2 November 2021 • 6:22pm
The little girl hesitates as she is led from her home and tries to pull away to stay with her family. The white-bearded man who has just bought her takes her arm and insists she follow him to his waiting car.
He has paid the poverty-stricken parents £1,600 ($2,200) for their nine-year-old daughter, Parwana, and she now belongs to him.
Earlier her heartbroken father had given his reluctant permission. “This is your bride,” he told the man. “Please take care of her – you are responsible for her now, please don't beat her.”
Such harrowing scenes, filmed by CNN last month in rural Afghanistan, are feared to be being played out again and again as destitute families are forced to sell their daughters just so remaining family members can eat.
And Biden, just last month:
In his speech he highlighted “the expectations to which we will hold the Taliban when it comes to respecting universal human rights. We all must advocate for women—the rights of women and girls to use their full talents to contribute economically, politically, and socially.”
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