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QUETTA, Jan 30 (APP):The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) in a consultative meeting with provincial stakeholders here Tuesday emphasized on national consensus to end child marriage.
The meeting was also attended by NCSW’s development partners, including UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women, said a news release.
The important stakeholders among the attendees included the Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women, Social Welfare Department, Civil Society Organizations, the Health and Education Department Academia media representatives, NGOs, experts on mental and physical health, and lawyers.
Chairperson NCSW Nilofar Bakhtiar said that the commission has conducted multiple consultation sessions across the country, as part of its Child Marriage Advocacy Campaign.
She said identity cards are mandatory for casting vote but marriages are carried out without even inquiring about the age of the child.
She said Balochistan desperately needs a child marriage restraint bill as we don’t need child brides we have to let our girls grow as girls.
The chairperson said NCSW is determined to get the legislation done at the National level as they realized the gravity of the social issue, of child marriage.
She asserted that the NCSW will take the child marriage bill to the National Assembly as the first step after the election.
On the occasion, Balochistan Minister for Health Dr Amir Muhammad Khan Jogezai appreciated the NCSW for highlighting the child marriage issue in Quetta and reaffirmed the support to NCSW by the provincial government.
He added that early marriages have not only deprived girls of their fundamental rights of choice but also health education.
Pakistan ranks sixth in child marriages as about 18 per cent of women in the country are still married in childhood.
Considering this drastic impact of child marriage, the Balochistan government will constantly be engaged to use its mandate to review the legislation related to child marriage.
He vowed that the state institutions are trying to ensure that girls have access to information and resources to make informed decisions with community-led initiatives that promote the rights and well-being of girls and discourage harmful practices.
The Chairperson of the Balochistan Commission on Status of Women Fauzia said that we are very much on board with NCSW on the issue of Child Marriage.
The Balochistan Commission is also determined to support the girls across the province to ensure their access to fundamental rights.
The secretary of NCSW Khwaja Imran said that women’s education and their participation in every sector of life is the need of the hour and can put restraints on nemesis like Child abuse and Child marriage.
Participants of the workshop were also briefed about its objectives and were given some facts and figures on the status of child marriage, its consequences, and its drivers.
The participants at the consultation emphasized that child marriage prevention required a multifaceted approach involving government policies, community engagement, education, and awareness campaigns.
They requested the authority’s concerns to strengthen and enforce laws to set a minimum age for marriage, ensuring that it is consistent with international standards.
He urged that measures should be taken for promotion and investment in education for girls, providing them with the skills and knowledge, and awareness campaigns to educate communities about the negative consequences of child marriage.
It was also recommended to Conduct research and gather data on the prevalence and root causes of child marriage to inform targeted interventions and policies.