The Punjab province in Pakistan has made a landmark decision by amending a 97-year-old law to set the minimum legal marriage age for girls at 18. This change replaces the previous age of 16, marking a significant step in protecting children's rights and curbing child marriages in the region.
Details of the Amendment
The Punjab Assembly passed the amendment to the Child Marriage Restraint Act, which originally dated back to 1929. The new law raises the minimum marriage age for both males and females to 18. Previously, the age for girls was 16 and for boys 18. The amendment brings uniformity and aligns with international standards for child protection.
Impact on Child Marriages
According to UNICEF, Pakistan has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with about 18% of girls married before 18. The new law aims to reduce this number by making it illegal to marry off girls under 18. Violators now face stricter penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
The amendment was welcomed by human rights organizations and activists who have long campaigned for raising the marriage age. They argue that child marriage deprives girls of education, health, and economic opportunities, and exposes them to domestic violence.
Implementation Challenges
Despite the legal change, experts warn that enforcement remains a challenge. In many rural areas, traditional practices and poverty often lead to underage marriages. The government plans to launch awareness campaigns and strengthen the role of local authorities to ensure compliance.
Women's rights groups have also called for better registration of marriages and birth certificates to track ages accurately. The law now requires proof of age through documents like a birth certificate or NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) card.
Broader Context
This move by Punjab is part of a wider trend in South Asia to combat child marriage. Neighboring India already has a minimum age of 18 for women and 21 for men. Bangladesh recently made similar amendments. The change in Pakistan's most populous province could influence other provinces to follow suit.
The amendment also aligns with Pakistan's commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to eliminate child marriage by 2030.
