Summary
- Child marriage remains one of Pakistan’s most persistent social challenges, depriving thousands of girls of their childhood, education, health, and future opportunities.
- Child marriage perpetuates this cycle, passing poor health and poverty from one generation to the next.
- The law established 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls and made child marriage a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
Child marriage remains one of Pakistan’s most persistent social challenges, depriving thousands of girls of their childhood, education, health, and future opportunities. While the country has made significant progress in recognizing the dangers of this harmful practice, millions of children particularly girls continue to face early marriages driven by poverty, social traditions, and gender inequality. Recent legislative efforts, especially in Punjab, signal a promising shift toward stronger child protection. However, laws alone cannot eliminate child marriage unless they are backed by effective enforcement and widespread public awareness.
According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017–18, nearly one in every six girls (18.3 percent) is married before reaching the age of 18, while 3.6 percent are married before the age of 15. In many rural and economically disadvantaged communities, early marriage is still viewed as a cultural norm or a means of reducing financial burdens on families. Unfortunately, these decisions often condemn girls to lives marked by poor health, interrupted education, and limited economic opportunities.
The consequences of child marriage extend far beyond the wedding ceremony. One in every five adolescent girls becomes pregnant shortly after marriage. Medical evidence consistently shows that adolescent pregnancies carry significantly higher risks than pregnancies among adult women. Young mothers face increased chances of severe anaemia, obstructed labour, obstetric fistula, hypertension, kidney complications, and maternal mortality. Mental health challenges, including anxiety and postpartum depression, are also more common among girls forced into early motherhood.
The impact is equally devastating for children born to adolescent mothers. Babies are more likely to be born prematurely or with low birth weight and face greater risks of malnutrition and developmental delays. Pakistan already struggles with one of the world’s highest burdens of child malnutrition. Approximately 40 percent of children under five are stunted, while nearly 18 percent suffer from wasting. Micronutrient deficiencies affect almost half of young children, limiting both physical growth and cognitive development. Child marriage perpetuates this cycle, passing poor health and poverty from one generation to the next.
Education is another casualty of early marriage. Girls who marry young almost always leave school permanently. Once education ends, so do opportunities for higher learning, vocational training, and meaningful employment. Without education, women have fewer chances to contribute to household incomes, participate in decision-making, or achieve financial independence. This not only limits individual potential but also weakens Pakistan’s human capital and long-term economic growth.
Numerous international studies have shown that every additional year of education for girls increases future earnings, improves maternal and child health outcomes, and reduces poverty. Delaying marriage allows girls to complete their education, enter the workforce, and become active contributors to national development. Investing in girls is therefore not merely a social obligation but also an economic necessity.
Recognizing these realities, Pakistan has gradually strengthened its legal framework against child marriage. Sindh took the lead by enacting the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act in 2013, which came into force in 2014. The law established 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls and made child marriage a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Islamabad Capital Territory later adopted similar legislation, reinforcing the principle that childhood must be protected.
Punjab has now taken an important step by approving the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2026, through its assembly committee. The proposed legislation sets 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both genders, eliminating the previous legal disparity. Importantly, the bill also criminalises individuals who facilitate child marriages, including guardians and marriage registrars, while rejecting exemptions that have historically been exploited to circumvent the law. Once enacted, it will represent a major milestone in protecting children across Pakistan’s largest province.
Nevertheless, legal inconsistencies remain across the country. While Sindh, Islamabad, and potentially Punjab recognize 18 as the minimum marriage age, other provinces continue to allow girls to marry at younger ages under existing laws. Such disparities undermine national child protection efforts and create unequal standards for Pakistani children based solely on geography. Every child, regardless of province, deserves equal protection under the law.
Critics often argue that poverty forces families to marry daughters early. Yet this argument overlooks the reality that child marriage actually reinforces poverty rather than alleviating it. Girls who leave school early have fewer employment opportunities, lower lifetime earnings, and greater dependence on others. Their children are also more likely to experience poor nutrition, lower educational attainment, and limited economic prospects. Ending child marriage is therefore one of the most effective long-term poverty reduction strategies available.
Religious scholars, community elders, teachers, healthcare professionals, and civil society organizations all have essential roles to play in changing attitudes. Laws can prohibit child marriage, but communities must also understand why delaying marriage benefits families, society, and future generations. Public awareness campaigns should highlight the health risks of adolescent pregnancy, the importance of girls’ education, and the economic advantages of empowering young women.
Parents must ask themselves an important question: if they fully understood the lifelong consequences of child marriage, would they still choose early marriage for their daughters? No parent wishes to see a child suffer preventable illness, abandon education, or lose opportunities for a better future. Protecting girls until adulthood is an investment in stronger families and healthier communities.
Pakistan stands at a critical moment. Legislative progress demonstrates growing national commitment to safeguarding children’s rights. Yet success will ultimately depend on implementation. Birth registration systems must be strengthened, marriage registrars held accountable, and violations prosecuted consistently. Schools, health facilities, and local governments must work together to identify vulnerable girls and support families facing economic hardship.
Ending child marriage is not simply about raising the legal age of marriage. It is about protecting childhood, improving maternal and child nutrition, reducing poverty, expanding educational opportunities, and building a healthier, more prosperous Pakistan. The momentum created by recent reforms must now become a nationwide movement. Every province should harmonise its laws by setting 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage without exception. More importantly, every Pakistani child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, and choose their future free from the burden of premature marriage.
