PESHAWAR, May 21 (APP): The Rise and Shine Girls’ Education Leadership (RSGEL) Network on Wednesday strongly urged the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to immediately enact legislation raising the minimum legal age of marriage to 18 for both girls and boys, stressing that there is no longer any justification for delay. Comprising young education activists from across the province, the RSGEL Network advocates for girls’ rights to education, leadership, and …
KP Govt urged to raise legal marriage age to 18, citing national, Islamic consensus
PESHAWAR, May 21 (APP): The Rise and Shine Girls’ Education Leadership (RSGEL) Network on Wednesday strongly urged the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to immediately enact legislation raising the minimum legal age of marriage to 18 for both girls and boys, stressing that there is no longer any justification for delay.
Comprising young education activists from across the province, the RSGEL Network advocates for girls’ rights to education, leadership, and equality, while opposing harmful practices like child marriage that hinder their futures.
With the recent passage of child marriage restraint laws in Punjab and Islamabad, and with Sindh having led the way in 2014, KP and Balochistan remain the only regions yet to take decisive legal action.
“A clear national consensus has emerged,” the Network stated. “The legal age for marriage must be 18 — KP has no valid excuse for further inaction.”
Fareeha Inam, a member of the Network, pointed to Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE that have set the marriage age at 18.
“This is about justice and opportunity. We cannot continue to rob girls of their childhoods and education,” she said.
The Network cited Islamic declarations like the Cairo Declaration (1990) and the Khartoum Declaration (2007), which call on Muslim nations to eradicate child marriage, identifying it as a barrier to health, dignity, and development.
Moreover, rulings by the Federal Shariat Court and high courts in Lahore and Islamabad affirm that raising the marriage age aligns with Islamic teachings and constitutional protections.
“Child marriage is a key driver of school dropouts among girls, especially at the secondary level,” said Quratulain, another RSGEL member. “We see it happening in our own communities—young girls pulled out of school and pushed into adult responsibilities too soon.”
Qamar Naseem, a prominent civil society advocate and member of the Pakistan Education Champions Network (PECN), reinforced the urgency: “There is no ambiguity anymore. Faith, law, and evidence all support this reform. KP must act now. Without this legislation, the dream of education for every girl will remain out of reach.”
The call to action from RSGEL underscores a growing demand from civil society and young leaders alike to protect the rights and futures of girls in KP through immediate legislative change.
