Policy & Law - Page 2

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 entry into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49 Preamble The States Parties to the present Convention, Considering that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and…

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…

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Entry into force: 26 June 1987, in accordance with article 27 (1)…

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Entry into force: 3 May 2008, in accordance with article 45(1). Preamble…

SHC Orders Girl’s Ossification Test In Free-will Marriage Case

The Sindh High Court on 31-July-2025 directed the medical superintendent of Services Hospital to conduct an ossification test on a girl to determine her age in a free-will marriage case as the family of the girl claims she is a minor. The direction came on a petition of Shireen and…

Provinces Must Set Legal Marriage Age At 18: NA Body

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on 17th July recommended that both national and provincial governments establish a uniform legal marriage age of 18 years for both men and women. A meeting of the Committee on Gender of Mainstreaming, held here, observed that this change will help reduce health risks associated with…

Non-formal Education Policy In Works To End Out-of-school Crisis

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on 10-July-2025 announced that the Federal Non-Formal Education Policy 2025 was currently in development, with the ambitious objective of achieving a ‘zero out-of-school children’ target. He also declared that the National Action Plan for Non-Formal Education 2025 was…

First Kalash Marriage Bill Cleared By Law Department

Legislation aims to protect and formalise the marital customs of the community Peshawar. In a landmark step toward preserving cultural heritage, Pakistan’s first indigenous Kalash Marriage Bill has successfully passed vetting by the Law Department and will soon be presented to the cabinet before being tabled in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa…

Civil Society For Sustainable Strategy To End Child Labour

LAHORE: Civil society organisations, academic institutions and the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) called on the Punjab government to adopt a comprehensive and sustainable child labour eradication strategy to uphold children’s rights and protect them from economic exploitation. This call to action was made during the Provincial Policy Dialogue…

Doctor Gets Life Imprisonment For Attempted Rape Of Minor

BAHAWALPUR: An additional sessions court sentenced a doctor to rigorous life imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000 for attempting to rape a minor girl. According to the prosecution, accused Dr Muhammad Kamran Khan tried to rape a 10-year-old girl in his clinic in Gol Plot in the limits of Mumtazabad…

Early Marriages Rob Youngsters Of Childhood, Future: SHRC

SUKKUR: Over 500 women coming from different walks of life attended a gathering in the Sachal Academy Auditorium, Khairpur, on 16th June and vowed to work for safeguarding children’s rights. They belonged to 20 UCs of Khairpur district and travelled to the venue for, what was described as the “grand…

Joint Efforts Needed To Protect Children From Exploitation, Says Zardari

ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari has emphasised the need for collective efforts from the government, civil society, and the public to safeguard children’s rights and provide them with a safe environment. “Today, we observe the World Day Against Child Labour, which reminds us to make efforts to protect…

The Age Of Consent And The Borders Of Belief

ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 marks a pivotal step toward a safer, progressive Pakistan KARACHI. Child rights organisations and advocates, along with concerned citizens, have warmly welcomed the passage of recent legislation on child marriages, describing it as a landmark step toward protecting the rights and well-being of children.…

Child Marriage Law Challenged In Federal Shariat Court

A law banning the marriage of children under eight years of age has been challenged in the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) in Islamabad, arguing that it was against the Constitution as well as the tenets of Islam and should be abolished. The bill, which sought to protect the rights of children…