Ending an abhorrent practice

It is heartening to note law-enforcement agencies are finally taking an interest in the violation of rights of minors

Against common sense, the outdated practice of child marriage continues in Pakistan to this day. Previous attempts to put a ban on compensation marriages with minors, to settle disputes or debts have been met with religious opposition. Most recently, a bill was shot down after the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) declared it un-Islamic. While the CII’s ruling ensured that no new legislation was passed, the government and law-enforcement authorities in recent times appear to have adopted a sterner stance regarding child marriage. On March 4, the police arrested four members of a village council who had ordered the marriage of a nine-year-old girl to a 14-year-old boy in order to settle a dispute between two families.

It is heartening to note that law-enforcement agencies are finally taking an interest in the violation of rights of minors and making it known that local jirgas and village councils are not above the law. But while one distasteful marriage has been prevented, many thousands of others keep on happening. According to Unicef data, 21 per cent of girls in Pakistan are married by the time they are 18. The practice of using women as property is deeply entrenched within our society. Somewhere along the way, religion started to be used as a justification for a custom, which is long overdue for an overhaul. Police action and effective legislation are necessary to punish the individuals who continue to uphold this practice. However, it has such widespread acceptance and backing from the right wing that a lot more must be done before child marriage becomes a thing of the past. The arguments regarding ill-effects on the physical and mental health of women sacrificed in this manner for the good of the family, rarely reach those who are involved. While public opinion has started shifting in recent years, it is really the opinion of those who never actually participate in such practices. There must be widespread awareness and a change in mindset amongst those affected, before concrete and lasting change is visible

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2016.

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