Let Children Be Children
In Afghanistan and Iran, thousands of young girls are being robbed of their childhoods every year. Behind every statistic lies a story of lost dreams, stolen education, and forced womanhood.
When we say, “let children be children,” we mean a world where innocence is protected, not taken away. At OMID Foundation, this is more than a message; it is a promise to every girl in our care.
Child Marriage in Afghanistan: A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
UNICEF reports 28% of Afghan girls aged 15–49 was married before the age of 18. Behind that number are millions of young girls whose futures were decided for them in moments of despair.
The economic collapse in Afghanistan has driven families into extreme poverty, forcing many to make impossible choices: marry off their daughters or risk starvation. When food and shelter become daily battles, education begins to feel like a luxury.
But the truth is that education protects girls. When a girl stays in school, she gains not only knowledge but the ability to imagine a different life for herself, one not dictated by gender or circumstance.
Today, however, many Afghan girls remain barred from classrooms, silenced by laws that deny them their most basic right: the right to learn. Without schools, teachers, or community support, these girls face higher risks of child marriage, trafficking, and exploitation.
Child Marriage in Iran: A Hidden Crisis
The crisis extends beyond Afghanistan’s borders. In Iran, economic instability and gender inequality have deepened the crisis of child marriage.
Each year, more than half a million children— some as young as eight —are married in Iran. Most are girls forced to marry much older men, often already married with children of their own.
By law, the minimum marriage age in Iran is 13 for girls and 15 for boys, but exceptions are easily granted. With a father’s or paternal grandfather’s consent and a judge’s approval, girls as young as nine lunar years (around 8 years and 9 months) can legally be married.
According to BBC Monitoring (2019), 500,000–600,000 child marriages occur in Iran annually. Many cases go unregistered, hiding the full extent of the problem. These numbers represent an ongoing human rights crisis that leaves countless girls trapped in cycles of trauma, poverty, and abuse.
Breaking the Cycle Through Education and Empowerment
At OMID Foundation, we witness firsthand the lifelong consequences of these injustices. Many young women who join our programs are survivors of child marriage, domestic violence, and systemic neglect.
Through our trauma-informed education, psychosocial support, and empowerment programs, we help them rebuild confidence, gain independence, and rediscover hope.
Education has the power to change her path and inspire other girls to do the same.
A Call for Global Action
This crisis cannot be solved by one organization alone. It requires collective action, global awareness, and sustained commitment from everyone who believes that every girl deserves the right to choose her own path.
Every girl deserves her childhood.
Every girl deserves to dream freely.
At OMID, we continue to stand by Persian-speaking girls and women, working tirelessly to ensure that their voices are heard, their rights are protected, and their futures are in their own hands.
They carry our future. Let’s give them the power to shape it.
