FORCED marriages is a serious issue and it exists worldwide even today. It is a form of marriage in which one or both of the partners are placed in a wedlock against their will or without their voluntary consent.

Child marriages is a form of forced marriage because, irrespective of the consent being involved, both parties are not legally of proper age and mentally or physically mature enough to decide on marriage. Such marriages are strictly prohibited by Section 310-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years and a minimum penalty of Rs500,000 for violating the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929.

Despite such laws on the book, the marriage of under-18 girls is widely prevalent in Pakistan, where the rate is the sixth highest globally. According to the United Nations International Children`s Emergency Fund (Unicef), three per cent of Pakistani females under the age of15yearsand21pcunderthe age of 18 years are married of f, and it continues to be regarded as an integral cultural tradition.

The underlying reasons for child marriages could be poverty and dowry as well as social and religious influences. It is hightime people realised that doing so violates not only human rights, but also children`s rights and could have long-term harmful ef fects on both girls and boys.

For girls, it could lead to mental health concerns, alack of access to opportunitiesand education, and several negative health impacts. For boys, this could mean being unprepared for responsibilities, like becoming fathers at a young age, supporting their families, and not having access to career possibilities.

Child marriages may also have a negative impact on the economic development of countries as a result of overpopuladon andpoorpardcipadonin the labour market.

Many programmes to prevent child marriages have been initiated at national and international levels, such as the International Day of the Girl Child and the Global Campaign for the Prevention of Child Marriage. However, there is still a need for more stringent laws and their implementation to stop child marriages.

The Ministry of Human Rights should take appropriate steps to end the deeprooted problem of child marriages in society.

Ariya Sheral Karachi