Day of the girl child: ‘Govt has failed to protect girls’
Girls’ delegation lobbies for support to stop child marriage
LAHORE:
Children Advocacy Network-Pakistan (CAN-P) organised meetings between a girls’ delegation and Minority Affairs Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu, Jamia Naeemia principal Raghib Naeemi and the governing body of Lahore Press Club on Saturday on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child.
The meetings were meant to garner support for the enactment of a prohibition of child marriages law. The delegation consisting of 20 girls presented a resolution to Sindhu at his residence. It mentioned Pakistan’s international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children. They said that the committee to ensure compliance with the convention had advised the government to raise the legal age of marriage for girls to 18. The delegation said that the disparity in the minimum age for boys and girls violated Article 25 of the Constitution that criminalised gender discrimination.
They also said the government had failed to adopt an effective strategy to prevent girls from being exploited and subjected to violence. The girls said law enforcement agencies dealt with such cases as an individual rather than a social issue. They urged the government to immediately approve the draft child protection policy. The girls said some cases of sexual abuse had been investigated by incompetent officials.
They said women police officers should be trained to investigate these cases. The girls said a special cell should be established to review the progress of these cases. They said the cell should ideally function under the supervision of a senior police officer to ensure their timely resolution. The girls said the government should provide a counselling service for victims of abuse.
The delegation next visited Lahore Press Club to interact with members of its governing body. The girls said the media should hold the government accountable for failing to introduce laws to protect girls. They urged them to raise public awareness regarding the harmful effects of child marriage.
The delegation also visited Jamia Naeemia to meet the seminary’s chief Raghib Naeemi to discuss the issue with him.
They said young mothers had a higher rate of maternal mortality than older women and were more vulnerable to developing fistulas. The girls said many women in developing countries died young due to early pregnancies. They said they were also at a greater risk of developing chronic anaemia and obesity.
Naeemi said child marriages were rooted in culture and not in religion.
He said it was necessary to correct behavioural patterns to address the issue.
CAN-P spokesperson Rashida Qureshi said it was necessary to create such groups to address the issue of violence against girls.
Atif Khan, a legal adviser to CAN-P, said empowering girls had tangible societal benefits. He said empowered girls eventually became empowered women.
Khan said they had greater earning potential, could look after their families better and could become agents of change.
He said archaic values placed women at greater risk of violence. Khan said violence against women could be reduced by providing them with education, vocational training and social support.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2014.
Children Advocacy Network-Pakistan (CAN-P) organised meetings between a girls’ delegation and Minority Affairs Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu, Jamia Naeemia principal Raghib Naeemi and the governing body of Lahore Press Club on Saturday on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child.
The meetings were meant to garner support for the enactment of a prohibition of child marriages law. The delegation consisting of 20 girls presented a resolution to Sindhu at his residence. It mentioned Pakistan’s international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children. They said that the committee to ensure compliance with the convention had advised the government to raise the legal age of marriage for girls to 18. The delegation said that the disparity in the minimum age for boys and girls violated Article 25 of the Constitution that criminalised gender discrimination.
They also said the government had failed to adopt an effective strategy to prevent girls from being exploited and subjected to violence. The girls said law enforcement agencies dealt with such cases as an individual rather than a social issue. They urged the government to immediately approve the draft child protection policy. The girls said some cases of sexual abuse had been investigated by incompetent officials.
They said women police officers should be trained to investigate these cases. The girls said a special cell should be established to review the progress of these cases. They said the cell should ideally function under the supervision of a senior police officer to ensure their timely resolution. The girls said the government should provide a counselling service for victims of abuse.
The delegation next visited Lahore Press Club to interact with members of its governing body. The girls said the media should hold the government accountable for failing to introduce laws to protect girls. They urged them to raise public awareness regarding the harmful effects of child marriage.
The delegation also visited Jamia Naeemia to meet the seminary’s chief Raghib Naeemi to discuss the issue with him.
They said young mothers had a higher rate of maternal mortality than older women and were more vulnerable to developing fistulas. The girls said many women in developing countries died young due to early pregnancies. They said they were also at a greater risk of developing chronic anaemia and obesity.
Naeemi said child marriages were rooted in culture and not in religion.
He said it was necessary to correct behavioural patterns to address the issue.
CAN-P spokesperson Rashida Qureshi said it was necessary to create such groups to address the issue of violence against girls.
Atif Khan, a legal adviser to CAN-P, said empowering girls had tangible societal benefits. He said empowered girls eventually became empowered women.
Khan said they had greater earning potential, could look after their families better and could become agents of change.
He said archaic values placed women at greater risk of violence. Khan said violence against women could be reduced by providing them with education, vocational training and social support.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2014.