PESHAWAR - Women who had to get married in their early ages narrated their tales of violence in front of a gathering arranged on eve of International Women’s Day the other day.
The event titled ‘Child Marriage is a Violation of Human Rights’ organised by Rehnuma, Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP). It was a rare event of its nature in this part of the world, which witnessed survivors of abuse and violence speaking in front of public. The tales of horror ranging from physical abuse, pressurising to get engaged in prostitution and trading off to settle a family dispute.
Syed Kamal Shah, CEO of the Rehnuma told the gathering that about 30 per cept of marriages in this country fell under child marriages. He said Pakistan fertility rate was highest in the region and stood 4.3 for the whole population, however if only the figure of married people is taken into account, it crosses 6.2 per cent. He said the population of Pakistan would touch 470 million by 2050 at the present rate. He also discussed the Rehnuma FPAP goals and scope.
When Nasim Akhtar was 14-year-old, her father died. It was a very bad turn in her life. Nasim used to go to play outside her home, but death of her father forced her mother to look for proposals for her. She said keeping in view weak economic condition, her mother started searching proposals for her, adding that she at last had to marry a 55-year-old man. However, soon after her marriage, the situation took a turn for worst and she had to go through physical violence by her husband and his family. She is now mother of four children - three daughters and a son - while another son had died at age of eight. It was hellish to go through the violence and abuse on daily basis, Nasim told the participants. Her voice choked with emotions.
Nasim and five other survivors of childhood marriages narrated their ordeals before the participants. These women were brought to the meeting arranged on the eve of the International Women’s Day by Rehnuma from Mardan, Nowshera and other areas.
Bushra, another girl who married a 40-year-old man and mother of a child, told the gathering that she lost her sight to physical violence and beatings of her husband. She said her sister was also married to her brother-in-law.
However, she went back to her home because she could not bear violence. She said her husband also refused to manage treatment of her eyesight, rather taunted her saying that her family did not care for her. “Sometimes, he asks me to go outside and kill myself by jumping in front of a train, as I am such a useless person, even whose family does not care for her,” she said. She also pointed lacunae in the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA) saying that at one hand it says that age of marriage for girls is 16; however, at the same time it says that puberty age is 18. At the same time, Sharia laws acts overriding of other laws.  She also pointed that punishment it proposes for child marriage is up to one month and fine is up to Rs 1000.
MPA Mehr Sultna pointed out that lack of awareness was biggest reason for prevalence of child marriages in the country. She asked the media to highlight this issue, as seminar and limited activities could not change this situation.
MPA Shazia Themash told the gathering about recent legislation regarding child rights and women and assured the participants that she will introduce a private member bill in the assembly to increase fine and punishment for the child marriages.