There have been numerous attempts by private members of Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate to amend the country’s Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. In recent years, the proposed amendments have been repeatedly tabled and rejected. These include the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2014, moved by MNAs
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
Child Marriage, one of the unfortunate and rampant trends, takes place in several parts of the country despite being prohibited under the relevant laws. Child marriage is a serious violation of children’s rights, something that ensures gender inequality. Young girls, in particular, are denied to enjoy their rights
The rocky years of adolescence are rarely a smooth sail for budding adults, with sudden physical, emotional, and psychological changes taking a huge toll on their overall wellbeing. While an awkward pimple or emotional breakdown might exhaust an average teenager coping with the upsetting effects of puberty, for
ISLAMABAD: Thirteen-year-old Asim* was quieter than usual when he returned to his home in Jhelum from a motorcycle mechanic’s workshop after completing his first day as a chotu – a term widely used for apprentices. His father, a rickshaw driver, noticed but casually asked about his day at his
Expanding the Women’s Rights through Judicial Jurisprudence” is a landmark two-volume book that explores the role of the apex judiciary in Pakistan in recognizing and enforcing women’s rights. Volume 1 focuses on rape and women’s right to inheritance, while Volume 2 addresses domestic violence and child marriage. The
The Annual Report 2023-2024 of NCRC provides a comprehensive overview of the organization’s functions, highlighting their 5 Es Approach, the launch of a 3-year strategic plan, and the establishment of strategic partnerships. The report then delves into their notable progress in addressing crucial issues such as child labor
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
The UNFPA State of World Population 2024 report, titled “Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope,” focuses on ending inequalities in sexual and reproductive health and rights. It celebrates 30 years of progress since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994, while also addressing the
THE recent judgement of the Lahore High Court in ‘Azka Wahid vs Province of Punjab’ has declared the arbitrary distinction in the legally prescribed minimum age of marriage in the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 18 years for men and 16 years for women as unconstitutional. Decades
Seema’s battle with fistula unveils the tragedy of early marriage, urging society to confront the intertwined dangers of child marriage and women’s health crises. Seema, a resident of Astore District of Gilgit-Baltistan, received the title, ‘Woman of the Year’, not for her achievements, but for a fate imposed
IT was on Ashura, Aug 19, 2021, when nine year-old Priya Kumari went missing. Just before her disappearance or abduction she had been happily helping her father a syncretic Hindu who runs a sabeel every year in Muharram in Sangrar, a small town near Sukkur serve sherbet to