Sonita Alizadeh: The Afghan Girl Who Rapped Against Child Marriage

At 15 years of age, Sonita Alizadeh was about to be sold as a bride. Her marriage would help fund a bride for her brother. This was not the first time. When she was 10 years old, her family had also tried to sell her off, a tradition common in Afghanistan. She refused and struggled to remain free, eventually succeeding. But most girls in Afghanistan never get that chance and are married off as child brides. They are stripped of their fundamental human rights. Just a few days ago, the Taliban formally legitimised child marriage under a new family law decree that sets out rules for marriages involving minors, where girls are treated as nothing more than property to be sold. Women have lost every right to dignity and autonomy.For women like Sonita,

escaping that life came down to sheer luck. Born in Herat, Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, every aspect of a woman’s life was strictly monitored. Her mother had been married off at the age of 12, and her older sisters suffered the same fate. Sonita had little choice but to live with that dread.Her family fled to Tehran, Iran, when she was barely six years old. She wanted to pursue an education there, but her family were undocumented refugees. At first, she was denied schooling, but eventually she was given an opportunity. She began studying at an NGO for Afghan refugees, where she discovered her love for music and poetry. Education proved to be her greatest strength.

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In her new home, she challenged authority once again. Defying an Iranian law that prohibited women from singing, she recorded songs about being a refugee, the war in Afghanistan, and the experiences of young women. From Tehran, she even won $1,000 in a US-based competition for a music video encouraging young Afghans to vote, challenging her family’s belief that girls had no economic potential. As the website of the Asia Game Changer Awards states:“In her new home, she challenged authority once more. Defying an Iranian law that prohibited women from singing, she recorded songs about being a refugee, about the Afghanistan war, and about being a young woman. From Tehran, she even won $1,000 in a U.S.-based competition for a music video encouraging young Afghans to vote — undercutting her family’s belief that girls have no economic potential.”

While Sonita remained in Iran, her parents returned to Afghanistan. Soon, she began receiving calls asking her to come home and meet her future husband. For her family, the money from selling her would help pay for a bride for her brother. But Sonita refused to trade away her free will. Instead, she recorded a video titled Daughters for Sale, which was uploaded to YouTube. The song was about the friends she had lost to child marriage. It was a huge risk because, as an undocumented refugee in Iran, uploading the video to YouTube meant breaking the law.One part of the lyrics from Daughters for Sale says:“I’m 15 years old, I’m from Herat. Some guys proposed to me, I’m confused and shocked.I’m confused and shocked because of these people and the marriage tradition.They sell girls without any right to choose.” (Translated from Dari)Against all odds, the gamble paid off and the video went viral. Sonita later earned a scholarship to study in the United States. Since then, she has continued fighting against child marriage and has taken the issue to the global stage. She is also the first rapper from Afghanistan, and uses her music to create awareness. Her Instagram feed is filled with videos documenting child marriages in Afghanistan, and she uses her platform and influence to draw attention to the plight of Afghan women. For her