'Around 30 percent of all marriages fall into category of child marriages'

With a view to sensitising the parliamentarians and policy makers about implications of child marriage, Rahnuma-Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) held an interactive dialogue between child marriage survivors and legislators here at a local hotel on Tuesday.
Adviser to Chief Minister Begum Zakia Shahnawaz was chief guest, while among others CEO Rahnuma-FPAP Syed Kamal Shah, Director Adolescent & Women Empowerment Amna Akhsheed, Director Advocacy Resource and Donor Liaison Nabila Malick and Fozia of Shirkat Gah spoke on the occasion.
Speakers said: "In Pakistan, it is estimated that 30 percent of all marriages fall into the category of child marriages. As per statistics, child marriages are more prevalent in interior Sindh than in other parts of the country." They said although child marriages are prohibited under the Child Marriages Restraint Act, 1929 but the need is to make the law more effective and punitive to ensure gender equality. Under the act, whoever, being a male above 18 years of age, contracts child marriage shall be punishable with simple imprisonment that may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both. What is worse is that a conviction under this law does not serve to nullify the marriage, they said.
They further said: "Women currently constitute around fifty one percent of the total population of Pakistan. Most of these women reside in poor or village areas of Pakistan, where there are no health facilities available. The young ages of marriage and childbirths and lack of experienced staff lead to complications during delivery and afterwards, that are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among young women."
Speaking on the occasion, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said the Punjab government has undertaken policies aimed at directly benefiting women through correction of gender inequality and alleviation of poverty. She added that the government would further strengthen the women through legal way to provide protection to them.
She said it is alarming that women's mortality rate during pregnancy is very high and awareness in this regard is necessary. She said women and girls are four times likely to suffer from malnutrition, one of the most significant being iron deficiency anemia. "Communicable diseases among women are an easy source of infection for the offspring as well, which is due to many factors of poor hygiene, poverty, lack of education and awareness, and inability to access good health facilities," she said, adding, "The government is taking steps to improve health of mother and child."