It is a fact that child marriage is one of the most serious and prevalent concerns in Pakistan, and it is becoming more prevalent by the day, where children face several challenges in shaping their future.
According to UNICEF, an international organization, about 70% of girls before the age of 16 are forcefully married. This is the most common reason for the rise in maternal mortality rates during childbirth.
Leaving aside neighboring provinces, in Balochistan, around 22 percent of boys and 63 percent of girls marry before the age of 16. Everyone understands that education is a fundamental right of every individual and contributes to growth, but instead of providing these rights to them, everyone is doing injustice to their daughters. They are forcing them to marry while they are under the age of 16.
Sara, a 16-year-old girl, once shared her desire with no hope “I was interested in school and aspired to be an inspiring teacher, but my dreams meant nothing to anyone. Before I could speak up for my rights, I was married”.
There are many such girls in our noble province of Balochistan who require government attention, and it is the current government’s responsibility to tackle this issue and pass legislation to protect the lives of young girls and boys before getting married when they are under the age of 16.