Child marriage violation of human rights: minister

Jun2013

karachi - Caretaker Provincial Minister for Women Development and Human Rights Ms Anis Haroon has said that child marriage is a violation of human rights and compromises the development of girls, which results into complications in biological and physiological dimensions for them.

She said this while presiding over a meeting organised for the cause of early marriages issue by HANDS Pakistan- a local NGO. The minister said in Pakistan marriage at an early age was a reality for many girls and parents force their daughters to get married at an early age due to `cultural, social and financial reasons'.
On the occasion, Chief Executive Officer of HANDS Dr Tanveer Ahmed Shaikh said that HANDS with partnership of Rutgers WPF is engaged in an `Adolescent Girls Empowerment Project' that focuses on ending the practice of child marriages by advocating widely and changing attitudes of families and the society at large.
Earlier, Bilquis Rehman briefed the minister that HANDS had developed a bill and will make consultation with all stakeholders including religious scholars, political parties and civil society.
She informed this bill aimed at increasing the legal age for marriage which was among one of the efforts that had been made to create enabling environment for the girls to grow healthy and decrease maternal mortality rate in Pakistan. She said they were hoping the bill would be passed in the upcoming assembly.
The HANDS also presented awards to Minister for Women Development and Human Rights Anis Haroon for the improvement of women in her short and effective tenure.

karachi - Caretaker Provincial Minister for Women Development and Human Rights Ms Anis Haroon has said that child marriage is a violation of human rights and compromises the development of girls, which results into complications in biological and physiological dimensions for them.
She said this while presiding over a meeting organised for the cause of early marriages issue by HANDS Pakistan- a local NGO. The minister said in Pakistan marriage at an early age was a reality for many girls and parents force their daughters to get married at an early age due to `cultural, social and financial reasons'.
On the occasion, Chief Executive Officer of HANDS Dr Tanveer Ahmed Shaikh said that HANDS with partnership of Rutgers WPF is engaged in an `Adolescent Girls Empowerment Project' that focuses on ending the practice of child marriages by advocating widely and changing attitudes of families and the society at large.
Earlier, Bilquis Rehman briefed the minister that HANDS had developed a bill and will make consultation with all stakeholders including religious scholars, political parties and civil society.
She informed this bill aimed at increasing the legal age for marriage which was among one of the efforts that had been made to create enabling environment for the girls to grow healthy and decrease maternal mortality rate in Pakistan. She said they were hoping the bill would be passed in the upcoming assembly.
The HANDS also presented awards to Minister for Women Development and Human Rights Anis Haroon for the improvement of women in her short and effective tenure. - See more at: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/05/18/city/karachi/child-marriage-violation-of-human-rights-minister/#sthash.AgJ2VoyD.dpuf