Reportedly, more than 21 percent women between 20-24 years are married in Balochistan before reaching their 18th birthday whereas about 6pc are married before 15 years of age while Makran has the highest prevalence of under 18 girl marriages (23pc), followed closely by Nasirabad (22.4pc) and Sibi division (22pc), according to a report compiled by the United Nations Population Fund.
Minor girls, who neither have the psychological or physical maturity nor education and skills to navigate their lives, are forced into untimely unions. Being forced or pressurised into marrying before becoming mature enough can cause lifelong psychological and physical trauma and increase the chances of complications and fatalities during childbirth. The rate of mortality during childbirth is already quite high in underdeveloped areas where adequate pre- and post-natal care is not available and where chid marriages are the most common. There is a need to enforce the Child Marriage Restraint Act.
In many communities it is believed that a girl is fit to be married and bear children at the age of 16 or when she reaches puberty, which could be even earlier. Although most of the modern world has evolved beyond this traditional belief, many parts of Pakistan are still steeped in illiteracy and such old-fashioned values. Given the overwhelming prevalence of this mindset (by some estimates 37 percent of Pakistani women are married before reaching adulthood), it may prove difficult to implement the Act. There are several NGOs and women’s rights groups working on ending child marriages and these organisations can certainly play a role in this regard. The government too can and should launch awareness campaigns and educate the people regarding this issue. Only enforcement of a law alone will not ensure a solution to this nationwide, socially entrenched problem. The agreement at the meeting to require proof of age of both the bride and groom at marriage registrations could also help curb illegal early marriages. Yet further steps, such as the imposition of fines and penalties on families forcing their children into untimely marriages, will need to be taken and this issue will have to be monitored at a national level.
