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
The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) Action Plan for 2023-2026 aims to improve the enforcement of child rights in Pakistan through collaborative efforts of state and non-state actors. It outlines three main goals which are to increase awareness and mobilization for child rights, enhance enforcement
This report is a comprehensive research study, conducted by the Centre for Human Rights and Musawi Private Limited, in collaboration with the National Commission for Human Rights and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative to evaluate the current state of women’s marriage rights in Punjab. With
The strategic plan lays out NCRC’s vision, mission and approach to promote and protect children’s rights in Pakistan over the next four years. It introduces the commission and presents the strategic priorities and 5Es methodology of engagement, education, enforcement, evaluation and evidence generation. The overarching goal is to
“Child Marriage in Sindh: A Political Economy Analysis and Policy Options,” presents a comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to child marriage in Sindh, one of the four provinces of Pakistan. The study was conducted by the Population Council and commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
“Child Marriage in Balochistan: A Political Economy Analysis and Policy Options” is part of a series of studies commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and conducted by the Population Council. These studies aim to examine the political economy dynamics surrounding child marriage in different provinces of
The eradication of child marriage is an important and acknowledged challenge for global policy. A child marriage is defined as a marriage or union of a girl or boy under the age of 18 (UNICEF, 2017). Whereas child marriage is a human rights violation and affects both genders,
In a joint initiative, the Centre for Human Rights and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative partnered with Axis Law Chambers to produce a comprehensive report. The Strategic Litigation Report delves into federal and provincial legislation, as well as judicial precedents, pertaining to marriage rights and