Underage marriages, child labour on the rise in Sindh

Education dept survey shows child marriages highest in Jaccobabad, lowest in Karachi

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KARACHI:

The Sindh government has officially acknowledged the prevalence of child marriages and child labour across the province, with alarming figures revealed in a recent survey conducted by the Sindh School Education and Literacy Department.

According to the report, 2.38% of children in Karachi are compelled to work, while the figure rises to 4.5% in Hyderabad division.

The report highlights a stark reality regarding child marriages. In Karachi, 15.4% of children were forced into early marriages. The numbers climb to 17.4% in Hyderabad and reach a staggering 40.2% in Umerkot.

The situation is similarly dire in other districts: Dadu, 42.9%; Thatta, 23.8%; Sujawal, 22.2%; Badin, 30.8%; Tharparkar, 36.4%; Shikarpur, 38.6%; Khairpur, 28.8%; Ghotki, 37.7%; Mirpurkhas, 35.5%; Naushahro Feroze, 28.8%; Jamshoro, 26.7%; Tando Allahyar, 32.4%; Tando Muhammad Khan, 14.4%; Sukkur, 32.6%; Matiari, 29.2%; Jacobabad, 46.3%; Sanghar, 34.7%.

Although the Sindh Assembly passed the Child Marriages Restraint Act in 2014, which sets the legal age of marriage at 18, implementation remains inconsistent. This legal gap, together with entrenched tribal customs, perpetuates the practice.

Hyderabad-based women's rights activist Zubaidah Memon pointed to financial difficulties and societal norms as primary drivers of early marriages. "Poverty has increased tremendously in the aftermath of the 2022 monsoon rains in Sindh," she said. For low-income families, marrying off daughters at an early age is often seen as a survival strategy to alleviate economic burdens. This trend disproportionately affects rural communities where traditional norms and economic desperation intersect.

Sindh also faces a severe child labour crisis, with Pakistan maintaining one of the highest child labour rates in South Asia. The consequences of child labour are far-reaching, including physical health risks, disrupted education, psychological harm, and links to exploitation and trafficking.

According to Iqbal Ahmed Detho, Chairperson of the Sindh Human Rights Commission, societal resistance to change and poor enforcement of existing laws have exacerbated the problem. He stressed the urgency of addressing the plight of the 30,000 street children in Karachi alone.

Despite national and provincial policies aimed at safeguarding children's rights, societal inertia and systemic poverty hinder progress. Experts call for rigorous enforcement of laws, increased public awareness campaigns, and economic support for vulnerable families.

Addressing the root causes of child marriages and labour-including poverty, education deficits, and entrenched cultural norms-is essential to breaking this cycle of exploitation.

As urban adolescents in Sindh focus on intellectual growth and skill development, their rural counterparts endure the harsh realities of labour and early marriage, highlighting the urgent need for equitable and inclusive policies to protect the future of all children in the province.