Broken dreams

Child marriage refers to any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child. Despite a steady decline in this harmful practice over the past decade, child marriage remains widespread, with approximately one in five girls married in childhood across the globe.

Early marriage has devastating consequences for a girl’s life. Girls are forced into adulthood before they are physically and mentally ready. Child brides are frequently deprived of their rights to health, education, safety and participation. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals call for global action to end child marriage by 2030.

Pakistan has an astounding record of child marriage. According to UNICEF, Pakistan has nearly 19 million child brides. The UN children’s agency estimates that around 4.6 million were married before the age of 15 and 18.9 million before they turned 18.

The high rates of maternal and infant mortality in Pakistan are closely linked to early marriages. The earlier girls are married, the more children they tend to bear, which contributes to overpopulation. Child brides face greater pregnancy-related health risks and their babies are more likely to have health problems. Girls end up with early pregnancy, as they often have little knowledge about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and limited access to SRHR services, they and their infants are more likely to experience adverse health effects.

When it comes to Balochistan, it is shocking to note that this harmful practice is on the rise in the province, causing girls’ high dropout from schools. According to a report, Makran has the highest prevalence of under 18-year girl marriage, 23 per cent; followed closely by Nasirabad, 22.4 per cent and Sibi division, 22 per cent.

It has been observed that young girls are more likely to face domestic violence than women who marry later. At times, they are not allowed out of the house by their in-laws, they are expected to stay at home to do chores or care work, or they are bullied by peers or teachers. Also, in Balochistan, the trend of child marriages has been a major cause for girls’ illiteracy or lower level of education.

“When I was studying in class 10th my parent got me engaged and by the time, I was in first year, intermediate, I was already married,” says Sammi, a 16-year-old girl from Jamak, Turbat. “I did not want to get married at an early age. I wanted to continue my studies but my parents did not bother to even ask me what I actually wanted and I was pressurised to tie the knot. Since I was barely a teenager at the time of my marriage, I could not take any stand against this injustice,” narrates Sammi. “Now, I am living a life of a serf in my in-law’s house. I have stopped studying. My mother-in-law is very strict who makes me work around the clock. This early marriage of mine has taken away my childhood and my innocence,” laments Sammi.

Sammi is not the only girl who was forced by her parents to marry during her studies; there are hundreds and thousands of girls like Sammi who are facing the nuisance of early marriage.

Mahnaz, a young girl from Hoshab, Kech District, a far-flung area of Balochistan, is paying a heavy price for getting married at an early age. “It was my dream to go to university. After I did my intermediate, I got married on the condition that I would continue my studies. My husband promised me that he would let me study, but after marriage, he started acting like a typical male chauvinist and prohibited me from studying further. I tried to raise my voice against this injustice but girls like me have no say in this toxic system. In the end, I had to give up my dream of going to university,” elucidates Mahnaz, with tears in her eyes.

Depression, sadness, loneliness is some of the outcomes of early marriages. Hani Naeem, from Turbat, who did not want to marry at an early age, became clinically depressed after her marriage. Like all young girls, she also wanted to continue her studies but she found herself helpless in front of her narrow-minded and rigid parents who forced her to get married. “I couldn’t do anything to stop my marriage, however, I stopped laughing and enjoying life. I became depressed to the extent of committing suicide,” shares Hani. “Though I have come to terms with life, I am not happy from inside,” she adds.

Zainab, another girl from district Gwadar, Balochistan, also went through mental turmoil when she got to know her parents were determined to marry her off. “I was studying in school and I was shocked when I found out that my parents had said yes to the boy’s side without my consent. Getting married meant that I had to leave my education in the middle and I wasn’t prepared to leave my studies. Since there was no escape, I thought of committing suicide, but I was saved,” tells Zainab. “Though my dream of going to college could not be fulfilled, I have realised that life is precious and one should not go to extreme measures like taking away one’s own life in desperation,” expresses Zainab.

In 2019, a bill introduced by Pakistani senator, Sherry Rehman, was passed in the Pakistani Senate to increase the minimum age of marriage for female to 18. The bill was aimed at ending child marriage in Pakistan. Sadly, despite passing the bill, child marriage in Pakistan is an on-the-ground reality. Unless we educate our masses and raise awareness, we cannot hope to end this evil practice in the near future.

The writer is a freelance columnist in Balochistan.