Stolen childhoods

Acknowledging a problem is the first step toward resolving it, and Sindh's recognition of the alarming prevalence of child marriages and child labour is a necessary but overdue move. Figures recently revealed in the Sindh School Education and Literacy Department survey are just one of many studies conducted over the years. Time and again, such reports have highlighted the plight of Sindh's children, yet meaningful action remains elusive.

According to the survey, 15.4% of children in Karachi are forced into early marriages, with the numbers rising sharply in rural districts like Umerkot (40.2%) and Jacobabad (46.3%). Similarly, child labour affects 2.38% of children in Karachi and 4.5% in Hyderabad, reflecting a stark urban-rural divide. Despite the passage of the Child Marriages Restraint Act in 2014, which sets the legal marriage age at 18, implementation has been inconsistent. Cultural inertia coupled with weak enforcement of laws allows these practices to persist. Financial struggles, worsened by the devastating 2022 monsoon floods, have further compelled many families to resort to child marriages as a means of survival. Child labour is no less concerning. Poverty and lack of access to quality education force children into exploitative work environments. The consequences are far-reaching, with children exposed to physical harm and emotional trauma. Sadly, Sindh contributes heavily to Pakistan's ranking as one of South Asia's highest child labour contributors.

While a crackdown on traffickers and perpetrators of child exploitation is essential, it only addresses a small part of a much larger and more complex web of systemic issues. Such exploitation thrives in environments plagued by poverty, weak law enforcement, inadequate education and deeply entrenched societal norms. Without addressing these root causes, such crackdowns will only scratch the surface of the problem, leaving the broader system intact. Efforts must go beyond documentation and piecemeal measures to protect our children and our future.