Hunger – Family Marries Off 9 Year Old Girl To Man, 55

Hunger has death a heavy blow on an impoverished family forcing it to marry off her 9 year old girl to a man of 55 years.

The controversial marriage which took place in war-ravaged Afghanistan, has stirred the internet, drawing wide-ranging reactions.

The international news network, CNN reports witnessing the 9-year-old being sold for marriage to 55-year-old man, according to reports by By Anna Coren, Jessie Yeung and Abdul Basir Bina.

The report identifies the 8 year old girl as Parwana Malik, with dark eyes and rosy cheeks,who was still giggling playing jump rope in a dusty clearing  obviously unaware of what impended for her.

The report adds however the Parwana’s laughter disappeared as, upon her return to her small hut with dirt walls, she was reminded of being sold to a stranger as a child bride.

She is not the first to be sold underage because of hunger, as her 12-year-old sister was sold several months ago

The man who wants to buy Parwana has said he 55, but the girl described him as “an old man” with white eyebrows and a thick white beard

Par who said she hoped to be a teacher and that marrying earlier would scuttle the dream, expressed worry in an interaction with CNN on October 22 that the man would beat her and force her to work in his house.

Her resistance faced a huge obstacle as, on October 24, Qorban, the buyer, who only has one name, arrived at her home and handed 200,000 Afghanis (about $2,200) in the form of sheep, land and cash to Parwana’s father.

Her parents say they had no option than to marry her off, because of hunger.

Hunger has really become an issue in the country, since last August 25 that the Talibans took over power.

For four years, her family had lived in an Afghan displacement camp in northwestern Badghis province, surviving on humanitarian aid and menial work.

 “Day by day, the numbers are increasing of families selling their children,” said Mohammad Naiem Nazem, a human rights activist in Badghis. “Lack of food, lack of work, the families feel they have to do this.”

Abdul Malik, Parwana’s father, ahead of the sale, he told CNN he’s “broken” with guilt, shame and worry, and can’t sleep at night.

He is reported to have said he tried not selling her, but recanted after his efforts to find work at the provincial capital or borrow money failed.

This made the family more vulnerable hunger.

“We are eight family members,” he told CNN. “I have to sell to keep other family members alive.”

The money from Parwana’s sale will only sustain the family for a few months, before Malik has to find another solution, he said.

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Qorban didn’t describe the sale as a marriage, saying he already had a wife who would look after Parwana as if she were one of their own children.

“(Parwana) was cheap, and her father was very poor and he needs money,” Qorban said. “She will be working in my home. I won’t beat her. I will treat her like a family member. I will be kind.”