Child marriages violate right to education: Sharmila

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Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister Sharmila Farooqi has said that child marriages violate the basic right to education of young girls, substantially reducing their access to pursuing economic opportunities.

It also has adverse effects on both maternal and child health. She said this while addressing a programme, organized by an NGO Rutgers WPF Pakistan, on International Mother’s Day.

She said, “Those girls are more likely to be victims of domestic violence due to lack of decision making and negotiation skills.”

She praised all the Sindh parliamentarians and the efforts for unanimously passing the Child Marriage Bill by the Sindh Assembly prohibiting marriage of girls below 18 years age. Sharmila Farooqi extended her full support to Rutgers WPF to eradicate child marriages.

On the occasion, Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui officially launched a movement to end child marriages in Pakistan. The campaign “dekho-bolo-roko” aims to generate community level evidence and support in order to eliminate early age marriages from Pakistan.

Praising the efforts of politicians, media, and civil society, Qadeer Baig, Country Representative- Rutgers WPF, Pakistan said, “When we celebrate Mother’s Day in Pakistan we commemorate safe motherhood”.

The mother award was presented to Ms. Sultana Siddiqui, a prominent media personality. She was awarded for highlighting and strengthening the role of women in Pakistan through her creative productions.

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