Breaking the Shackles of Tradition: Combating Child Marriage

The issue of child marriage is a grave issue in Pakistan and globally. Pakistan has been chiefly rural area based and its society is deeply traditional and religious based. Due to its rural areas, high poverty, illiteracy and low awareness, child marriage is very common in Pakistan. According to a UNICEF 2022 report on child marriages in Pakistan, there were approximately 19 million child brides in Pakistan, among which about 4.7 million female children were married before the age of 15.

In Pakistan, different factors are involved in the issue of child marriage. In religious and conservative families, men are highly educated with higher degrees and better jobs. At the same time, in such families, the standard women are kept at a lower level in all ways, as they are educated till secondary school mostly and then married off in the name of culture, society and belief. Parents also believe that it is their societal duty to religion and to respect the norms of society to marry their daughters at a young age as soon as possible. As society has been a victim of extremism, poverty and illiteracy, this has led to the ignorance of fearing women and not giving equality to them. Thus, this gives the impression that society lacks awareness and a sense of respect and equality for women.

Moreover, poverty is another major factor as women are considered a burden in low-income families, often hit with economic problems. It is a rule in low-income families that men are born to do labor and earn jobs while women are born to cook in the kitchen and serve their husbands and the children. Gender inequality is the primary factor behind child marriages as people have been fed with orthodox education, and society has not progressed. Due to the orthodox and traditional conservative beliefs, the issue of child marriage is common as women are considered secondary to men.

Impact of Early Marriage on Girls

Health is an important issue, and it matters a lot when you are in a sexual relationship with someone. A weak health can negatively impact sexual relationships, pregnancy and the child born. A young female has a more fragile body; her bones and body are not strong when surviving muscle stresses. Pregnancy at a younger age can lead to rectovaginal fistula during childbirth, causing the mother's death during child delivery.

Moreover, as women are married at a young age, they are deprived of their fundamental right to education and freedom. The break and the full stop on their education make them vulnerable to poverty and economic problems. It has been chiefly observed that child brides faced domestic violence from their husbands as they were not empowered, had low education, had low awareness and were dependent on their husbands for survival.

Wayforward

Policymakers, legislators and experts have given many policies and solutions for combating child marriage. But my viewpoint is different. There should first be strong legislation and strong laws must be passed. The age of a female adult should be around 20 to 22. The state must ensure with the social department that a woman should at least have a bachelor's degree and be able to earn and contribute to the economy.

NGOs and the government must collaborate to fight poverty and raise societal awareness. NGOs must be sponsored or collaborate with international organizations to upskill people so they can earn and provide for themselves. Once society begins to walk on this path, it is imminent that the society will grow industrially as empowering people with skills can help to stand up the local industries and give rise to them.

Furthermore, the social department must ensure education for all children until 18 years old and then teach skills to people, especially women, to empower them. If this is ensured, the ratio of child marriages will reduce to a great extent as people will be empowered and will at least be able to live in a dignified way with no injustices to people of other genders, especially children.