Child marriage law

There are lots of loopholes in the implementation of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act. This law is especially enacted to protect the rights of children under the age of 18 years. For the protection and promotion of child rights, the Social Welfare Department of Sindh has initiated 12 child protection units but the committee formed to implement this law is working under the Women Development Department.
First, it should be the responsibility of the Social Welfare Department to deal with matters related to child marriage. Second, according to Section 3 of the law, if a man tries to marry a girl below the age of 18, he will be liable for punishment but the law is silent in case a woman tries to contract marriage with a boy below the prescribe age limit. Third, there is a need to initiate a public awareness campaign through consultations, workshops, seminars and trainings. The police, nikah khawan, media and civil society can play a vital role in this regard.
Shafique Kandhro
Karachi