How to stop child marriage?

Child marriage is a dire issue affecting children under the age of 18. It robs them of their innocence and subjects them to responsibilities and challenges they are not equipped to handle. This issue is particularly prevalent in conservative societies and regions under feudal control. In such societies, girls are often considered voiceless humans, treated as valuable property that can be used and exploited at will.

The consequences of child marriage extend beyond individual girls, impacting health, fertility, education, labour force participation, and gender-based violence. While the focus is often on health and human rights implications, the economic ramifications are equally considerable, impeding a nation’s growth and development.

Child marriage deprives girls of their right to a safe and healthy childhood, proper education, economic opportunities, and social and political empowerment. Embedded traditions, customs, ignorance, and inadequate security contribute to its continuance.

Child marriage, globally condemned and legally prohibited, persists due to factors like gender inequality, rigid conservatism, lack of social security, poverty, and inadequate education. Girls suffer disproportionately, facing health risks from early pregnancies, disrupted education, and limited opportunities.

In Pakistan, child marriage remains an inescapable issue, primarily affecting indigent and vulnerable communities. Although both boys and girls are married off early in many parts of the country, girls bear the brunt of this harmful practice. In 2020, as many as 119 cases of child marriages were reported, with 95% involving girls and only 5% involving boys, according to a report by Sahil, an Islamabad-based NGO.

Statistics from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-2018 reveal the extent of the problem: 3.6% of girls below 15 years are married, while 18.3% are married before turning 18. However, Unicef reports even higher figures, with 21% of Pakistani girls married by age 18 and 3% married before age 15. This places Pakistan as the world’s sixth ranked country in terms of the number of child brides.

Ending child marriage requires a pragmatic approach, such as making it a non-compoundable offence with exemplary punishments, including fines and life imprisonment. Provinces in Pakistan have taken steps to legislate against child marriage, such as the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act and the Punjab Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act. However, enforcement remains a challenge, especially in regions where local power brokers are in power.

Efforts to combat child marriage must be guided by international conventions and agreements, including those addressing the rights of women and children. This not only protects a girl’s life but also grants her the right to enjoy life and choose a partner for marriage.

The Sindh government led the way in addressing child marriage with the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act in 2013, followed by Punjab’s enactment in 2015. These acts raise the marriageable age for girls to 18 and impose harsher penalties, making child marriage a cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable offence punishable by imprisonment and fines.

The Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act of 1939 provides girls married as children the right to decide on the marriage’s continuation upon reaching 18 years of age. These legislative measures represent crucial steps toward ending child marriage in Pakistan, but sustained efforts and collective action are needed to ensure their effective implementation and enforcement.

Child marriage has profound negative impacts on both girl brides and boy grooms, affecting their physical and mental health, education, and future opportunities. As they mature, they often regret these marriages, blaming their parents for their lost careers and independence. Such marriages rarely lead to happiness and frequently result in serious complications, with girls suffering the most. It is time to raise our voices against child marriage to protect the lives and futures of young girls. Remaining silent on this issue is morally and ethically unacceptable. We must stand firm and enact pragmatic laws to end this nefarious and harmful practice.