Problems of child marriages

PESHAWAR:  

There is a need to abandon child marriages as early marriages pose a problem for young mothers and can even lead to infanticide.

This was stated by University of Peshawar (UoP) Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Johar Ali on Thursday as he reviewed posters created by students. The day-long intra-university poster exhibition and competition had been organised by the Centre of Communication Programmes Pakistan at the UoP Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The theme for the competition was child marriages. Around 50 posters had been designed by students of journalism, art and design and home economics.

All the top three positions were won by the UoP Art and Design Department and they were awarded cash prizes of Rs10,000 each.

While inspecting the exhibition, the pro-vice chancellor appreciated the efforts of the students and their mentors. Even though students of art and design won the competition, he called upon students to rely on content first and design second, to create impactful communication for the society at large.

Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony, Dr Ali lamented that child marriages continue to be talked about in our society. He opined that this issue must be eradicated from the society because it not only has adverse impacts on the society but there are a host of medical complications as well with early motherhood and infanticide.

He pointed out that India will soon overtake China in the population pyramid by 2027 as the Indian society has yet to overcome its rigid societal taboos related to early child marriages.

In Pakistan, more specifically Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa he said that in the Malakand division families are growing into double digits. He warned that this could not only lead to faster resource depletion in the area but also lower living standards. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2019.