Is bacha bazi still practiced?

In the 21st century, bacha bazi is practiced in various parts of Afghanistan and Northwestern Pakistan. Force and coercion are common, and security officials state they are unable to end such practices and that many of the men involved in bacha bazi are powerful and well-armed warlords.

What is bacha bazi meaning?

boy play
Bacha bazi is a term found in multiple languages and translates roughly into English as “boy play.” While the name takes on different meanings and conjures different understandings throughout history, at its foundation bacha bazi involves pre-pubescent boys dancing for and entertaining a group of men, typically during …

What are the causes of bacha bazi?

The spread and expansion of Bacha Bazi in Afghanistan has several factors and causes, such as lack of rule of law and corruption, ambiguity and gaps in the law, limited access to justice, poverty, insecurity, and existence of irresponsible armed groups has contributed to the spread of these phenomena which is discussed …

Is bacha bazi a culture?

Bacha bazi has antecedents in ancient cultures throughout central Asia. However, the practice appeared in its modern form in the 19th century. It typically involves wealthy Afghans, often Pashtuns, who acquire young men or boys for the purposes of sexual entertainment and exploitation.

Is bacha bazi illegal?

Despite bacha bazi being illegal under Afghan law, authorities are unable to end the practice because many of those involved are influential men. To these men, keeping a “bacha baireesh”, or “boy without beard”, is a sign of power and high social status.

Are balochs Pashtuns?

The Pashtuns and the Baloch are large ethnic groups that span the region of present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, respectively. While the census figures are not accurate, Pashtun make up some 15 percent, and the Baloch, over five percent of the population of Pakistan.

Is Pashtun a race?

Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, constituting around 48% of the country’s total population. They have been the dominant ethnolinguistic group in Afghanistan since the nation’s founding.