Topic: Eradicating Child Marriage
Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Adwoa Tandoh
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Pakistan position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
Due to the Child Marriage Eradication Act of 1929 in British India, child marriage has been always outlawed since Pakistan’s independence in 1947. Pakistan recognizes child marriage as an unlawful act and punishes those who engage in child marriage. Pakistan recognizes that despite its government’s sanctioning this custom as unlawful, many Muslims still carry on the practice of wani (a child marriage custom). Under the Muslim Family Law Ordinance a girl who is 16 can marry a boy who is 18 if they are both mutually consenting to the marriage. In the cases of many of these older child marriages, adolescent girls are often forced into a marriage with men who more than twice their age who abuse them physically and sexually.
These marriages frequently result in reproductive health complications. These health complications include sexually transmitted diseases and mental problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress. Pakistan has made countless efforts in order to limit child marriage such as ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Child. Pakistan also recognizes that the religion of Islam honors women and protects their rights. Not all Muslims should be condemned for the unlawful actions of others less observant of the law. Just recently some NGOs have called for support for the Child Marriage Bill in the KP Assembly. So, far none of these solutions have really helped, so Pakistan would like to work with other nations to formulate a workable and long-term solution to this problem. Pakistan calls on all nations to bring the spirit of cooperation and problem solving to overcome this significant social problem.
