Unity at NCSW consultation to end child marriage

All stakeholders should join hands to work together against child marriage and legislation in Punjab during a consultation to ‘End child marriage,” arranged by the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), with its development partners, i.e., UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women, held at a local hotel on Thursday. Provincial representatives of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, the Social Welfare Department, the Punjab Child Protection Welfare Bureau, the Punjab Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department, the Health Department, the Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department, other government departments, civil society organizations, NGOs, experts on mental and physical health, students and the media participated to draw a practical way forward to end child marriage in the country. In her opening remarks, Chairperson NCSW Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar said the Commission realized the gravity of the social issue that deprived girls of their fundamental rights of choice, health, and education. She said that considering the drastic impacts of child marriage, the NCSW had constantly been engaged under its mandate to review the legislation related to child marriage and found the need for amendments and practical implantation approaches. She stressed that girls who were already married at a young age should be provided access to education, healthcare, and psychosocial support with rehabilitation and reintegration programs to rebuild their lives and pursue their aspirations. She added: “Let’s unite to end child marriage! Every child deserves a childhood filled with education, play, and dreams, not forced into marriage. Together, we can break chains that deny them their rights and build a future where every child can flourish.” She announced the formation of a group of representatives of provincial government departments, civil society, the media, social workers, and NGOs to control child marriage and preparation of legislation. Dr Jamal Nasir, Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Healthcare, termed child marriage violence and revealed that more than a hundred thousand women died annually during pregnancy in Pakistan, and the Punjab government was taking all possible measures to decrease this number. He said that girls had to face so many health issues during and after pregnancy. The guest of honor, Dr. Sara Ahmed, chairperson of Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Punjab, while sharing her thoughts, said that the state institutions were trying to ensure that girls should have access to information and resources to make informed decisions with community-led initiatives that promote rights and well-being of girls and discourage harmful practices. She said that there were some child marriages reported in rural areas of Punjab, which stopped immediately with the help of local police, and she added that Punjab was the first province to enact a child protection-specific legislation in Pakistan, the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004. The legislation is to rescue and provide protective custody, care, and rehabilitation to destitute and neglected children in the province. Chief Guest Ms. Khawar Mumtaz, the former chairperson of the NCSW, stressed that the stakeholders must think innovatively to change strategies for handling child marriage issues in Pakistan. Child marriage prevention requires a multifaceted approach involving government policies, community engagement, education, and awareness campaigns. Further, Sardar Mavarhan Khan, Additional Inspector General of Punjab Police, while addressing the program, said that it was high time to handle the child marriage issue on human and social grounds instead of camouflaging it in the garb of religion and culture. In the workshop, participants were also briefed about its objectives and were given some facts and figures on the status of child marriage, its consequences, and its drivers. A critical theory of change on child marriage was also introduced, followed by participants’ group work on the child marriage framework.