By: Sajjad Hussain Nekokara
Child marriages threaten the lives, well-being and futures of girls around the world. Before the covid-19 pandemic, more than 100 million girls were expected to marry before their eighteenth birthday in the next decade. Currently, up to 10 million more girls will be at risk of becoming child brides as a result of the pandemic. According to the Pakistan Languages and humanities review on child marriages, in the world 158 countries have made laws for the marriage age as 18 years. It is a sad reality that laws are made but not enforced. It is a fact that 1/3rd of girls in the developing world are married in their childhood. Including Pakistan, the rest of the South Asian countries have the largest number of child marriages under 18.
The issue of child marriages has always haunted Pakistan. It tends to occur among the country’s most marginalized and vulnerable communities. The child marriages in Pakistan is about 6th largest in the world for girls married before age of 18, and 71 percent of girls in family do not have any say in who and when they will marry. These were the key findings of the policy brief on the legal framework of child marriage in Pakistan, and finding of the KAP (knowledge, attitude practices) survey launched by the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NRC) in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF Pakistan. Furthermore, UNICEF REPORTS 21 percent of Pakistani girls are married by the age of 18, and 3 percent before 15-year age. These statistics are not encouraging and clearly portray the bleak picture of situation of child marriages in Pakistan.
As far as the factors which are held responsible for the child marriages in Pakistan are concerned, they are varied in numbers. The most pertinent one is lack of education for girls. It is a fact that in many parts of world there is a tradition of prioritizing education for boys only. Lack of resources is another factor of child marriages in Pakistan. In Pakistan, who are poor get their daughters married earlier so that have to pay a lesser dower when their daughter is at a younger age rather than that of high prices of dowry in case the daughter is adult. Furthermore, fear of dishonor and traditions is another factor held responsible of this menace. The majority of cases of child marriages in Pakistan are in KPK and PUNJAB. In Pakistan, realization of women’s right to marry as per their volition is regarded as a dishonor for the family.
There are number of impacts of child marriages on the lives and well-being of girls. According to a report, girls who die in the time period of their pregnancy, counts highest percentage of child brides and the majority of children who are married before maturity (UNICEF,2007). Domestic and sexual violence is another glaring impact of child marriages. A report reveals that most of domestic violence faced by girls include greatest percentage of the child brides and out of 100 sexually abused girls, 75 are those of child brides (Sanotosh,2016). It destroys their future as well as their childhood l. In this regard, a report proves that when the girls in age of getting education and awareness, are indulged into marriages they become powerless (Malhotra, 2010).
In order to contain the child marriages in Pakistan, there must be empowered local government bodies in place to ensure that legal safeguards are implanted in their true letter and spirit. There is need of amendment in existing laws on the age of girls which establishes 16 years as lawful marriage age. Pakistan need to conform to the best international practice of maintaining 18 years as lawful age for marriage of girls. There is a need for broader social and economic reforms that address the root causes of child marriage, such as poverty and gender inequality. The nationwide campaign with the help of media to raise awareness on the damaging effects of child marriage is need of the hour. Furthermore, the National Commission on the rights of child should play its vibrant role to take notice of the problem and offer suitable policy recommendations. Education for all is only panacea to combat this social evil. There is also a dire need of implementation of support programs to empower girls at risks.
In the end, it is a universally acknowledged truth that child marriages have been injecting the venom of sorrows and miseries in the lives of girls and making them to feel hopeless and helpless at times. It is high time that the state and society should recognize this tradition as a crime and protect young girls from this menace. Let us hope that younger generations live healthier, freer lives in a more prosperous country.
The writer is a lawyer and human rights activist