child marriage - Page 2

SPARC State of Pakistan’s Children Report

“State of Children Report” is an annual publication produced by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), a non-governmental organization based in Pakistan. The report provides information on the situation of children in the country, covering various aspects such as health, education, violence against children, juvenile justice system, etc. The report is widely cited by…

Child Marriages – A Vicious Cycle of Poverty and Abuse

KARACHI: Despite being illegal, child marriages continue to affect millions of young lives, perpetuating cycles of poverty, gender bias, and inequality. According to a study, 18 percent of girls in Pakistan get married before the age of 18, leading to severe consequences on their health, education, and overall well-being. This…

Policy Brief on the Legal Framework for Child Marriage in Pakistan

Child marriage is a significant issue in Pakistan, where according to the…

A Silent Epidemic: Child Sexual Abuse in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Thirteen-year-old Asim* was quieter than usual when he returned to his home…

Eclipsed Beginnings – Child Marriage

This video features Valerie Khan, an expert in Gender Equality, Social Inclusion (GESI), and Child Protection. The discussion covers key issues like child marriage, juvenile justice, and gender-based violence (GBV). Valerie emphasizes the critical need for prevention, explaining how investing in the protection of women and girls drives meaningful, lasting…

PHC Seeks Govt Response To Plea For Enforcement Of Updated Nikahnama

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has issued notices to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and some of its officials, ordering them to respond to a petition for the effective introduction of the updated nikahnama and the enforcement of a law on premarital screening for thalaessaemia and hepatitis C. The order was issued…

Underage Marriage Foiled

SARGODHA: The Kot Momin police arrested three people, including the would-be groom, and foiled an underage marriage. A case was registered against the accused under the Child Marriage Restraint Act and other provisions. The police were alerted that some people had planned the forced marriage of a 13-year-old girl in…

Forced Marriage Of Under-age Girl Thwarted

LAHORE: Raiwind Police thwarted forced marriage of a 12-year-old girl and arrested multiple individuals involved, including the girl’s mother, the groom, witnesses, and Nikah registrar. According to a police spokesperson, the operation was initiated after receiving a report from M Sharif, the elder brother of the girl. Sharif informed the…

Call To Implement Child Marriage Ban

KARACHI: A pivotal consultation meeting was held at Dadu deputy commissioner’s office to address the implementation of the Sindh Child Marriage Act 2013. Key stakeholders including representatives from district government departments, various NGOs and community members, attended the meeting, chaired by Secretary of Human Rights Department Tahseen Fatima. Chairman of…

Christian Women Demand Divorce Rights

LAHORE: Christian couples taking their marriage vows in front of a priest gleefully promise to stay bonded in holy matrimony till death does them apart. Yet few would imagine the state taking the ceremonial utterance literally by disenfranchising married women from the universal right to divorce. The Christian community in…

Pakistan Home To 19 Million Child Brides, Says Report

LAHORE: Pakistan is home to nearly 19 million child brides and ranks 6th globally in early child marriages, the participants of a seminar organised to mark the International Day of the Girl were informed on October 12. The speakers said the girls in Pakistan face stark challenges in their education,…

Theatrical Performance Highlights Significance Of Nikahnama Clauses

KARACHI: The different experiences of women overlooking the potential of the nikahnama while tying the knot were highlighted during a theatrical exploration of women’s rights organised by the Legal Aid Society (LAS) in collaboration with the United Nations Democratic Endowment Fund (UNDEF), Tehrik-i-Niswan and Bond Advertising at a local hotel…

Abducted Girl Rescued

LAHORE: The Investigations police rescued a 16-year-old girl from Rahim Yar Khan, who had been abducted under the pretext of marriage. The suspected kidnapper was arrested. The suspect, identified as Muhammad Tariq, had lured the girl with a false promise of marriage. As she left her home, she took Rs800,000…

Babies Galore

OURS is a society where parents start planning their daughter’s marriage soon after she is born. Here the social compulsion for couples to prove their fertility is so great that they have their first child within a year or so after tying the knot. Worse still, women are desperate to…