Child marriage is a form of sexual abuse in which a girl child is assaulted and robbed of her childhood. While treating young girls, I often wonder why their parents don't think before marrying them off that such marriages will prove to be a disaster rather than a marriage.
When I regained consciousness, my whole family was standing in front of me and everyone was crying. It felt like I had a new life. As soon as I opened my eyes, everyone gave me a faint smile. The moment was still again. It is said that Sadia from Basti Khudadad area of Multan, Sadia was 14 years old when she got married to her 34 year old cousin. At that time, she was an eighth grade student in a school in Khudadad Basti.
At the time of marriage, Sadia had to give up her studies and moved to her husband's house. She says I was so young that it was impossible for me to understand the issues of married life. Unfortunately, my husband started beating me. Sadia, a victim of domestic violence, eventually had to return to Mackay as her 2 pregnancies were miscarried due to lack of proper nutrition during pregnancy. Good care. She herself was not mature enough to take proper care of herself. As a result of not being able to become a mother due to which Sadia's husband divorced her after some time, now Sadia is living a lonely life with her parents at the age of 22. Due to her incomplete education, she is not even able to get a good job.She has become the arm of her parents by working at home, the main reason of which is poverty. Sadia blames her parents and poverty for getting married at a young age. She says that her cousins worked abroad and were more noble. That's why there was no consent in my marriage, only I was forced to do so by my parents.
She says that due to pregnancy loss and young marriage, my health is not good anymore. Despite not having a child, I cannot walk properly due to severe pain in my back and legs, it has become difficult for me to work outside the house along with household chores, she says. I may be living the life of old age at the age of 22, it is difficult for me to take care of my parents, it has become difficult for me to take care of myself, not only Sadia is the victim of this helplessness in the city of Multan but all over Pakistan including South Punjab. Most of the women are spending time in daily life and death struggle due to child marriages.
Regarding young girls, Apa Zahra Sajjad Zaidi, the founder of Dastgir Forum, a local organization, says that according to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18, 3.6 percent of girls were married before the age of fifteen, while 18.3 percent of girls were married before the age of eighteen. Happened in age. She says child marriage has devastating effects. It is a form of sexual abuse in which a girl child is assaulted and deprived of her childhood. It affects the psychological well-being, intellectual, personal and social development of the girl child. Married girls are also more likely to drop out of school than other girls.
She says Pakistan ranks sixth in the world in terms of child marriages. According to the 2019 survey conducted by Dastgir Forum, twenty-one percent of girls in the country are married before the age of eighteen, while thirteen percent of girls are married at the age of fourteen. . According to a survey conducted by Women Rights Association Pakistan in 2020, the number of children married under the age of 16 in Pakistan is 7.3 million (6.0%) and the number of children married under the age of 18 is 15.5 million (12.6%).
Shaista Bukhari, founder of Women's Rights Association South Punjab, says the cruel reason for child marriages in Pakistan is the outdated customs of the society. She says that the trend of early marriage is high in areas like Rawan, Silar Band, Band Busan, Basti Khodada, Qasimpur, Qasim Bela and Shershah which are considered to be the surroundings of Multan.
Shaista Bukhari says that the people in these areas do not want to change their outdated customs, which they themselves had to face the same difficulties because no one was ready to listen to them in these areas. In order to reach out to the women residents, who used to appease the men, most of them were disappointed, she says. Only the development of these areas can play a positive role in their mental cultivation, for which the non-governmental organizations as well as the governmental organizations will have to fulfill their responsibilities.
Maulana Hanif Jalandhri, General Secretary of the Federation of Islamic Schools, says that often young girls are forced to marry, and in Islam, a girl cannot be forced to marry someone whom she does not want to marry, and jurists. According to the Rajah position of the Karams, even if the girl is a virgin, the same position is also held by the Hanaf. The proof of this is the statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: (A virgin girl should not be married until her permission is obtained) Muslim: (1419)
Maulana Hanif Jalandhri says that marriage is a contract in Islam and in verse 21 of Surah al-Nisa of the Qur'an, marriage refers to a covenant, i.e. a firm covenant or agreement between husband and wife, and it is ordered to be recorded in writing. go Since there can be no contract between the parties unless they give their free consent to it. This makes it clear that such an agreement cannot be entered into by children. How can a child be expected to enter into a lifetime contract when they are not expected to drive or vote? Marriage is a lifelong contract and it is unreasonable to expect a child who does not even understand what a contract is to choose a life partner. Therefore, based on this fact, child marriage cannot be completely Islamic.
Advocate Samra Baloch has been fighting for the rights of minor girls in the courts of Multan for the last 5 years. She says that Section 310 of the PPC. According to A, “Whoever gives a woman in marriage or otherwise compels her to enter into marriage as a reward for peace, wini or swara or any other custom or custom by any name, civil dispute or criminal liability. In view of the settlement, he can be sentenced to imprisonment for up to seven years, which will not be less than three years and he will also be entitled to a fine of five lakh rupees. Marriage of two children or an adult and a child may face the same punishment.No court other than a Magistrate of the first class can take cognizance of or try any offense under this Act. However, the time limit for lodging a complaint has been set at one year. and no action can be taken unless, other than in the Punjab, a complaint is made by a Union Council within whose jurisdiction the child marriage is taking place or is about to take place. She says that if there is no such union council in this area, then the provincial government can give the above-mentioned authority to a single person in this regard. Because under Section 4 of the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA) 1929, the minimum age limit for marriage is 16 years for a girl and 18 years for a boy, she says, over the past one year, child marriages have increased. More than 20 cases were reported in Multan District Family Court.Out of which about 15 people were fined and sentenced.
Renowned Gynecologist Dr. Maria Mumtaz says that among the cases that come to her, young girls have suffered from many sexually transmitted diseases and other serious infections due to lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods, which often result in the death of both mother and child. cause of Not only this, but due to young marriage, their children are born with disabilities. Fistula cancer and internal infections due to early marriage are also major causes of maternal mortality for such girls, she says. While treating young girls, I often wonder why their parents don't do this before they get married. Thinking that such marriages will prove to be a ruin, not a marriage. . Such girls also suffer from anemia due to repeated abortions or childbirth.Which eventually proves fatal for them.
Manza Butt, in-charge of the Violence Against Women Center, says that from January to December 2022, 43 cases of child marriage were reported at the Women's Center Multan. Take sadha and do not report. This government organization is active for the welfare of such people, which also provides free lawyers to such young girls and fights their cases. She says that from the platform of Violence Against Women and Children Multan, more than 16 cases have been decided in favor of minor girls and fines have been imposed on their parents along with their husbands and Nikah Khawan. He says that his organization is providing free facilities for such women.
Shaista Bukhari, founder of Women's Rights Association, says there is a need to strengthen the National Commission for Child Rights and other national human rights institutions to take notice of child marriages and formulate policy recommendations.
She says birth registration and access to education for every child is essential to tackle child marriage. Support programs should be implemented to empower girls at risk and send them to school instead of marriage. This will help the generations to be healthy and responsible while making the country prosperous.
