The Burden of Child Marriage

In many regressive societies, the term ‘child bride’ calls to mind the unsavoury practice of marrying a child, even a preteen, to someone much, much older. This is true for South Asian countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, carrying the highest burden of child marriage in the world. Recent Unicef estimates…

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Decline in child marriages is slow

According to UNICEF, child marriages are on the decline, but not so much that they could be abolished for another 300 years, while a perfect storm of crises could still reverse the trend. “We have definitely made progress in abolishing the practise of child marriage, especially in the last 10…

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Islamabad Administration Notifies Rules for Hindu Marriage Act 2017

The Islamabad Capital Administration has announced the Rules of the Hindu Marriage Act 2017 titled ‘Islamabad Capital Territory Hindu Marriage Rules 2023’ after more than five years since it came into force, Daily Dawn reported on April 7, 2023. This will enable members of the Hindu minority to perform their…

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Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 and Jinnah

The Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 was drafted by Quaid-i-Azam- Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Father of the Nation) and introduced by a Hindu, Rai Haridas Sarda, and is also known as the Sarda Bill. Jinnah was very concerned about the widespread child marriage in British India, which he considered a violation…

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IHC Judgement on Child Marriage Case

Honourable Justice BABAR SATTAR of the The Islamabad High Court Issuing a written order on the plea of a woman seeking recovery of her 16-year-old daughter who had filed an affidavit to say she had tied the knot of her own free will. The  Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared the…

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Child marriage and religion

Enactment and enforcement of legislation against child marriage has repeatedly run into resistance that claims religious authority. Overcoming this resistance will require a wider intellectual engagement with the foundations and structure of religious thought. Consider. The latest report on Pakistan, based on figures contained in the Unicef database 2016, issued…

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Policy Brief on the Legal Framework for Child Marriage in Pakistan

Child marriage is a significant issue in Pakistan, where according to the UN, Pakistan has the sixth-highest number of child brides in the world.  Child marriage has serious consequences for the girls involved, including a higher risk of health problems, domestic violence, and poverty. Girls who are married young are…

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