‘Early marriages deprive children of their childhood’

QUETTA:

Parliamentary Secretary for Information, Social Welfare and Special Education Bushra Rind has said that the role of youth is very important in the development of any society but child marriages deprive our children, be male or female, of their childhood and impact their entire future lives.

“The development of the society is possible only through the education and training of the youth. Child marriage affects the education and training of the children as well as their practical life,” she said.

Bushra Rind was talking on the occasion of a one-day Seminar and Painting Competition organized by Women Lead Alliance.

Addressing the participants, she said that child marriage affects the health of girls too so it should be avoided at all costs.

“Children are unable to make decisions about their lives, which affects their marital life as parents consider them a liability so they try to get rid of this responsibility as soon as possible,” she noted.

Early marriages are dangerous for all children but especially for female children whose lives are completely changed as house hold chores depend on the girls, she shared, adding that legislation for fixing a minimum age for marriage is necessary.

“There is tradition of early marriages in our society and consent of the children is seldom counted,” she noted.

She said that if girls are well educated then they would not only easily get jobs but would educate their children too. Therefore education is a must for girls to change the society.

“According to the requirements of the modern age, before we decide the marriages of our children it is important to ask for their consent. We should also consider their opinion in the matter of education too,” she insisted.

“It should be kept in mind as the future of the child depends on the decision of the parents. A healthy mother is the foundation of a healthy society,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2022.