KARACHI - The Sindh government is likely to adopt a law soon making the entry of Computerised National Identity Card numbers of the would-be married couples in their Nikahnama compulsory to prevent underage marriages in the province. Sindh Women Development Minister Shaheena Sher Ali disclosed this while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar organised by the non-governmental organisation, Civil Society Support Programme at a hotel..
The provincial minister informed the audience at the programme that the provincial government’s Women Development Department had been working on the proposal of compulsory mentioning of the CNIC numbers of the would-be couples in their Nikahnama and that the legislative process would be completed soon.
She said Sindh had taken a lead among other provinces in preventing instances of child marriages in the country by declaring 18 years as the minimum age for girls to tie the knot. She disclosed on the occasion that the minimum age for marriage in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces was still 16.
She urged the girls to duly read their Nikahnama before signing it to fully know about their marital rights. The women development minister said that nobody should object to the act of a bride to thoroughly go through her Nikahnama before solemnising her marriage. She said the thought process which barred brides from reading their Nikahnama was an obsolete one, which should be changed at once for the sake of women’s rights. She informed the audience that incomplete entries in the Nikahnama due to ignorance on the part of the brides could deprive them of their legitimate rights in case of divorce or separation in the later marital life.
The provincial minister said that the Sindh Women Development Department would launch a 15-day drive from November 25 at the district-level to let females know about their due rights.
She said the government had the utmost resolve to protect the rights of women and ensure progress and financial autonomy of female population in the province as per the vision and directions from Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto.
The seminar was also attended by officials from the Sindh Human Rights Commission, Women Development Department, Information Department, and Social Welfare Department of the Sindh government.
Empowered lives
The Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP), in collaboration with the NCA in Pakistan, organized a provincial consultation on creating an enabling environment for women and girls to live empowered lives in Karachi on Thursday.
This consultation brought together key stakeholders including the minister for women development and chairperson of the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), to address policy-related gaps and strategize improved support systems for marginalized women and girls. Other representatives included Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), faith actors, women activists, and district networks including Women Leadership Forum (WLF) and Community Support Group (CSG).
Minister for Women Development Shaheena Sher Ali appreciated the role of CSSP and NCA in highlighting the role of different departments in strengthening the GBV referral mechanism and emphasized that with the collaborative approach of working together across sectors, we can build a stronger, more resilient support system that not only protects but also empowers survivors of gender-based Violence throughout Sindh. Representatives from relevant government departments, including the Women Development Department, Social Welfare Department, and SHRC, acknowledged the issues raised in the Charter of Demands. They appreciated CSSP, NCA, and both WLF and CSG networks for bringing the pressing issues to light and addressing them at the provincial level.
Sindh Information Secretary Nadeem Ur Rehman Memon said the social sector stands alongside the government in serving marginalized groups. He noted that during his postings across different districts and divisions of Sindh, he closely observed the work of social organizations. Now, through the Information Department, he is striving to highlight laws and facilities available for women, with efforts also underway to gender-sensitize the media.
Iqbal Ahmed Detho, Chairperson of the Sindh Human Rights Commission, shared that the Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP) deserves appreciation for organizing an important meeting focused on women’s issues and presenting the basic issues of the Mirpurkhas. Additionally, we will plan to collaborate with the Information Department to organize awareness programme as part of the upcoming 16 Days of Activism campaign. This will help raise awareness on gender-based issues and promote support for women’s rights across the region.
The CSSP’s Head of Programmes, Abdul Wahid Sangrasi, shared the CSSP’s commitment to providing initial support for GBV survivors through establishing the safe house and women’s help desk at the Women Development Department. He underlined the importance of collaboration across all sectors to ensure survivors receive prompt and effective assistance. “The main objective is to ensure that no survivor faces barriers to safety and justice. By strengthening referral pathways, we can build a more resilient and supportive system for those affected by gender-based violence”.
Ms. Rida Zahra, Legal Advisor SHRC, provided insights of the existing survivor-centric referral pathways and free legal aid mechanisms available to support and protect survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). She further highlighted the importance of accessible and reliable resources for survivors navigating the legal and psychosocial support systems.
Aaliya Yousuf Tahir Kheli, Programme Coordinator NCA, thanked all participants for participating in the consultation dialogue and suggesting measures for creating enabling environment for gender inclusive society.