KARACHI:
Matrimony is an indispensable building block of life; but child marriage is a curse. Many people believe that education had been forbidden for girls in Islam 1,400 years ago. However, there is concrete evidence that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) strongly emphasised the importance of education for both males and females. Early marriage bars children from acquiring education, which is against the teaching of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Besides conservative cultural practices, other factors such as poverty, low literacy, and ignorance of parents are main factors that encourage the practice of child marriage. Although several laws were drawn up to prevent this menace, these laws are seldom implemented. Consequently, child marriages continue to plague our society.
A recent study titled Child Marriage in Sindh: A Political Economy depicted a horrific picture of the province. Despite having a Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, Sindh has witnessed an overall increase in child marriages between 2015 and 2019, with Jacobabad topping the list. Marrying girls at such an early age prevents them going through the normal process of growth and development. They are burdened with adulthood responsibilities that they have little knowledge of. At times, girls have little knowledge of what pregnancy is, which can very easily lead to maternal and infant mortality. Moreover, embracing motherhood at an early age with little guidance is a difficult task because of which many fail at parenting.
This paves the way for other social evils and entraps people into a vicious cycle of poverty and gloom. Despite prohibitive laws, the practice is rampant in several areas of the country This shows that there is a dire need to focus on publicising and implementing the law with an iron hand to curtail this menace.
Asad Jabbar
Hyderabad
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2021.
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