Amid growing concerns over child marriages and their harmful consequences, the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), in collaboration with women’s rights organizations, has launched a nationwide campaign demanding a legal ban on marriages under the age of 18 across Pakistan.
Speaking at a press conference, NCSW Chairperson Ume Laila Azhar welcomed the recently introduced ICT Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2025, which sets the legal marriage age at 18 for girls in Islamabad. She praised the move as a positive step following Sindh’s example and stressed the need for nationwide consistency.
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“We must prioritize the education and health of our children and end their exploitation, especially of young girls,” Azhar stated. “This is not just about stopping early marriages; it’s about securing the future of our next generations. A uniform law is essential to protect their rights across the country.”
Renowned gender expert Fehmida Iqbal shared alarming statistics, revealing that 18 percent of girls in Pakistan are married before turning 18, and 54 percent become pregnant before reaching adulthood — a major risk to both maternal and child health.
The campaign aims to build momentum for a legal framework that safeguards children, empowers girls, and creates a unified standard to eliminate child marriage in all provinces.
