All stakeholders should join hands to work together against the 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. Provincial representatives of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, Social Welfare Department, the Punjab Child Protection Welfare Bureau, Punjab Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department, Health Department and 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 an effective way forward to end child marriage in the country. In her opening remarks, Chairperson NCSW Ms Nilofar Bakhtiar said the Commission realised gravity of the social issue that deprived girls of their fundamental rights of choice, health and education. She said that considering 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 of amendments and effective implantation approaches. She stressed that girls, who were already been married at a young age, should be provided an access to education, healthcare, and psychosocial support with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes to rebuild their lives and pursue their aspiration. She added: Let’s unite to end child marriage! Every child deserves a childhood filled with education, play, and dreams, not forced to marriage.
Together, we can break chains that deny them their rights and build a future where every child can flourish. She announced 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 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 Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Punjab, while sharing her thoughts said that the state institutions were trying to ensure that girls should have an 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; provide protective custody, care, and rehabilitation to destitute and neglected children in the province. C
hief Guest Ms Khawar Mumtaz, former chairperson the NCSW, stressed that the stakeholders must think innovatively to change strategies for handling child marriage issues in Pakistan.
