Youth Engagement Stressed To Curb Child Marriage

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Dec, 2024) The speakers at an event on Monday called for youth engagement to curb child marriages in Pakistan through act.

The event was organized as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, by Group Development Pakistan (GDP), in collaboration with Department of Criminology, University of Peshawar (UoP), and focused on advocating for the legislation of the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA).

The event emphasized the importance of collective efforts to eliminate child marriage in Pakistan, with a special focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The gathering brought together policymakers, academics, civil society organizations (CSOs), and students to discuss actionable solutions for ending child marriage.

The program began with remarks by a youth activist Ali Hassan, who provided a historical perspective on the campaign against child marriage. He emphasized the importance of such initiatives for policy advocacy and awareness raising and lauded stakeholders for their commitment to the cause.

Imran Takkar, Provincial Coordinator for GDP, highlighted the alarming global and national statistics on child marriage.

He noted, “Globally, at least 12 million girls under the age of 18 are married every year, that’s 28 girls every minute.

In Pakistan, 18.3 percent of marriages involve girls below the age of 18, and 3.6 percent of these girls are under 15 years old. This contributes to Pakistan having the highest neonatal mortality rate in South Asia.”

He stressed the need for proactive, collaborative approaches to address this issue.

Ijaz Muhammad Khan, Deputy Chief of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission (KPCPWC), discussed the commission’s efforts in preventing child marriages.

He highlighted their work in raising awareness, implementing legal interventions, and providing rehabilitation for victims.

Ijaz Muhammad Khan further stated that we are committed to bringing a progressive law on early marriage aligned with the UNCRC. However, there is a need for mass awareness on the issue of early marriage to ensure that there are no challenges in implementing the law within the cultural context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.

While speaking on the role of youth in the movement, Prof. Dr. Basharat Hussain, Chairman of the Department of Criminology, emphasized the critical role young people play in combating child marriage. “Youth engagement during the 16 Days of Activism is vital. Their involvement can significantly advance the fight against child marriage,” he said.

Student presentations also added a powerful voice to the discussion.

Maryam Wahab addressed the socio-economic factors driving early marriages, urging greater community awareness.

Romaysa Hashmi explored the adverse effects of child marriage on girls’ education and economic opportunities, calling for stronger legislative action.

The event concluded with remarks by Said Rehman, Director operation KP Local Government and Rural Development Department (LGRDD).

He spoke about strengthening the Nikah registration mechanism, oversight measures and capacity building for Nikah registrars.

The event provided a critical platform for dialogue among key stakeholders. By fostering collaboration and amplifying youth voices, it significantly contributed to the advocacy for legislative reforms to end child marriage in Pakistan.

The discussions underscored the need for sustained efforts to create a united front against child marriage and drive meaningful, long-term change.