PODA launches 41-district project to reduce early marriages in Punjab

RAWALPINDI, DEC 23 /DNA/ – The participants at the “SRHR and Child Marriages: Challenges and Way Forward” workshop have unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for the minimum age of marriage for girls to be linked to their national identity card across Pakistan.

The resolution to leverage technology and national identity cards to prevent child marriages was supported by a diverse group of stakeholders, including health professionals, religious scholars, lawyers, academicians, media persons, and government officials from various departments including education, health, population welfare, women development and local government.

The resolution’s push for NADRA to register all marriages online is a significant step towards enforcing the minimum age of marriage for girls in Pakistan. By leveraging technology and national identity cards, the resolution aims to prevent underage marriages and ensure that girls are socially, mentally, and physically equipped to bear the responsibilities of marriage.

This collective effort emerged from a workshop jointly organized by PODA and the District Population Welfare Office, Rawalpindi, which brought together stakeholders to discuss the challenges and future directions in addressing child marriages.

The workshop was held at Family Health Clinic and Training Hall at Benazir Bhutto Hospital. PODA is implementing a 3-year project “Reduce Early Marriages to Enhance Gender Equality” in 41 districts of Punjab, supported by the Norwegian Embassy, Islamabad. The workshop was held at Family Health Clinic and Training Hall at Benazir Bhutto Hospital.

Advocate Khawaja Zahid Nasim, Legal Advisor to PODA and Chairperson of the Naheeda Mehboob Elahi Foundation, emphasized the need to uniformly define a minor as someone under 18 years of age across all laws. He pointed out a discrepancy in the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2015-Punjab, which sets the minimum marriage age for girls at 16, yet defines a “minor” as any child under 18 years old. A unified definition for all children, regardless of gender, is essential for protecting their rights, he added.

Nabeela Aslam, Project Manager at PODA, quoted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines a child as any person under 18 years old. She emphasized that this definition ensures equal protection and rights for all children, regardless of gender, until they reach adulthood. She stressed that adopting a unified definition is crucial for promoting the well-being and safety of all children.

Azhar Mehmood, Deputy Director of the Population Welfare Office, emphasized the need for a mindset shift to consider underage marriage a socially unacceptable phenomenon. He praised the Punjab Chief Minister’s efforts and highlighted the importance of linking the minimum marriageable age of girls to their national identity card. He noted that while the law in Punjab sets the marriageable age at 16 for girls, it is not being implemented effectively. He also stressed that despite good literacy rates among girls, there is a need to change people’s perspectives on early marriages and associated health problems.

Dr. Asima Tariq, In-charge Family Health Clinic at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, Dr, Ayesha Zulfiqar and Dr. Mariam Ali highlighted the severe implications of child marriages on girls below 18 years of age. They emphasized that early marriage often leads to multiple abortions, which puts immense pressure on healthcare facilities, particularly in resource-constrained environments.

The experts stressed that delaying marriage until girls are at least 18 years old is crucial to prevent these health risks and ensure better outcomes for young women.

Dr. Samina Batool advocated for incorporating information on child marriages and their health consequences into the educational curriculum. She also emphasized the need to raise awareness about this critical issue in rural communities.

Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal Rizvi emphasized the importance of engaging with religious scholars to address child marriages. He suggested utilizing their influence to change public perception and promote girls’ education, ultimately upholding their fundamental rights, just as it was effectively done in the instances of polio vaccination campaigns.