By Samar Ameer
Master of Arts (MA)
Linguistics

Early Marriage in Pakistan:
A Growing Social Challenge
پاکستان میں کم عمری کی شادی:
ایک بڑھتا ہوا سماجی مسئل
पाकिस्तान में कम उम्र में शादी:
एक बढ़ती हुई सामाजिक चुनौती

Girls have the right to live — not just to survive, but to live
with dignity, choice, and dreams.

Early marriage remains a serious social issue in Pakistan in spite of growing awareness and legal frameworks. While marriage is viewed as a spiritual connection marrying at a early age often results in long-term negative consequences for individuals, families, and society. Factors such as poverty, lack of education, cultural traditions, and family pressure continue to drive early marriages, especially in rural
areas. This article explores the major consequences of early marriage in Pakistan and highlights its impact on social stability and family life.

➢ “Why Is Marriage Used to Control, Not Protect?
➢ Marriage is meant to be companionship, not a cage.
Yet for many girls, it becomes a way to control their freedom, their
voice, their future.
➢ Why are girls married off to protect family honor, while their
happiness is ignored?”

Key Facts on Early Marriage in Pakistan
Research show that nearly 50 percent of marriages in Pakistan involve girls under the age of 18. In many cases the actual age of underage brides is deliberately recorded as higher in official marriage documents. According to UNICEF (2017) small-scale survey findings, around 70 percent of girls are married before reaching the age of 16, while a significant number are married even earlier, before completing 13 years of age.

Deep-rooted cultural customs and traditions encourage early marriage, which often leads to early childbearing. Girls are forced into motherhood before they are physically, emotionally, and mentally prepared to take on maternal responsibilities. As a result, early marriage is closely linked to early motherhood. A Population Council of Pakistan survey (2002) reveals that 35 percent of women give birth to their first child before turning 18, and this percentage rises to 69 percent by the age
of 19.

In Pakistani society, the choice of a spouse for young girls is largely discouraged and considered culturally inappropriate. Only 4 percent of girls below the age of 19 are allowed to express their consent regarding marriage. Additionally, families often prefer marriages within their own biraderi (clan), leading to a high rate of consanguineous marriages. Consequently, over 70 percent of girls are married to close or distant relatives.

Causes of Early Marriage in Pakistan
Several factors contribute to the prevalence of early marriage in Pakistan:
Poverty: Families often marry off their children early to reduce financial burden.
● Lack of Education: Limited access to education, particularly for girls, increases
early marriage rates.
● Cultural and Traditional Practices: Deep-rooted traditions prioritize early
marriage over personal development.
● Gender Inequality: Girls are often viewed as a responsibility rather than
individuals with rights and ambitions.

Major Consequences of Early Marriage

“Girls are not born to suffer. They are born to dream.”

1. Educational and Economic Disadvantages

One of the most damaging effects of early marriage is the interruption of education. Young girls, in particular, are forced to leave school, limiting their career opportunities and economic independence. As a result, families remain trapped in cycles of poverty, and women become financially dependent on their spouses.

2. Physical and Mental Health Risks

Early marriage exposes young girls to serious health risks, especially due to early pregnancies. These include complications during childbirth, maternal health issues, and increased infant mortality. In addition, emotional stress, domestic pressure, and lack of support often lead to depression, anxiety, and psychological trauma.

3. Emotional Immaturity and Marital Conflicts

Young couples often lack emotional maturity and life experience. Poor communication, unrealistic expectations, and inability to manage responsibilities result in frequent conflicts. Without proper understanding and patience, these marriages often turn unstable.

Early Marriage and the Rising Divorce Rate in Pakistan
There is a strong connection between early marriage and the increasing divorce rate in Pakistan. Financial instability, lack of compatibility, family interference, and emotional immaturity often push young couples toward separation. Many women seek khula to escape unhappy marriages, highlighting the failure of unions formed without readiness or consent.

Social Impact of Early Marriage and Divorce

Impact on Children
Children raised in unstable or broken families often suffer from emotional insecurity, academic decline, and behavioral issues. These effects can continue into adulthood, influencing future relationships.
Social Stigma and Gender Challenges
Divorced women in Pakistan face social stigma, discrimination, and limited remarriage opportunities. This creates further emotional and economic hardship, discouraging women from seeking help.
Weakening of Family Structure
The rise in early marriages and divorces weakens the traditional family system, increasing social instability and reducing trust within communities.
Possible Solutions and Recommendations
● Enforce laws regarding minimum marriage age
● Promote education, especially for girls
● Raise awareness about the risks of early marriage
● Encourage pre-marital counseling
● Support women’s economic empowerment

Conclusion

Early marriage in Pakistan is not merely a social practice—it is a silent injustice that robs girls of their childhood, education, and identity. Every early marriage represents a lost dream, a silenced voice, and a future decided without consent. Girls who should be discovering their potential are instead burdened with responsibilities that drain their physical strength, emotional stability, and self-worth.
When society forces children into marriage in the name of honor, it fails its most basic moral duty: protection. True protection lies in education, healthcare, emotional support, and the freedom to choose—not in locking young lives into lifelong commitments they do not understand. Early marriages create cycles of poverty, ill health, marital conflict, and broken families, passing trauma from one generation to
the next.

Men, too, hold a critical role in breaking this cycle. They must become protectors, not enforcers—supporting education, respecting consent, and empowering women to make their own choices. Strength is not in controlling or restricting, but in standing for justice, equality, and the well-being of the family. Only when men act with awareness and compassion can society ensure that marriages are built on respect, readiness, and love rather than fear and force.

Ending early marriage requires courage from all: from families, communities, and especially men who must lead by example. By empowering girls and supporting each other in equality, Pakistan can build families that are stable, healthy, and filled with hope—a future where marriage becomes a sacred bond of companionship, not a cage of sacrifice.

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By Asma Ali
Master of Arts (MA)
English Literature
Noor ul Sabah
Bachelor’s degree
Public administration 

Stolen Childhoods in Pakistan:
When Culture Turns Criminal
پاکستان میں بچپن چوری ہو گیا
جب ثقافت ہی مُجرم بن گئی
पाकिस्तान में बचपन की चोरी:
जब संस्कृति अपराधी बन गई

“When tradition becomes an excuse for injustice, it is no longer culture — it is cruelty.”
“To preserve a child’s childhood, stop the practice of child marriage.”
“A supporter of child marriage is essentially a supporter of child sex slavery.”
“Childhood is the time for growth and development, not marriage and responsibilities.”

Introduction:
Child marriage can be defined as a “contract signed by guardians, but executed against the will
and capacity of the very person it binds—rendering it a legal fiction and a moral crime. Child
marriage is a systemic act of disempowerment, where society trades a girl’s potential for the
illusion of propriety.”

So—Pakistan. Child marriage here means shackling a girl (usually) to a husband before she’s even old enough to vote, drive, or really understand what marriage means. Folks justify it with “customs,” poverty, and all the usual excuses, but it tramples all over her rights, her education, and her shot at a future. Let’s not sugarcoat it—calling child marriage “tradition” is just a fancy way of masking cruelty. Every year, thousands of children are forced into child marriages in Pakistan. And the ones doing it with their own consent are either stoned to death or shot on sight. Ironic, isn’t it? Here’s the cosmic joke: elders can force a girl into marriage before she’s 18 and folks clap. But if she decides to marry on her own terms, suddenly she’s “too young” and gets punished—sometimes even killed—for “dishonoring” the family. So, what’s it really about? Control. Not care.

These innocent children, stripped away from their childhood and forced into something they were not meant to discover at the ripe age of just 8 and 9, lose the small ounce of dignity left in them. Behind every marriage contract signed by a little child and a forced “qubool hai”, a deep moral failure, entrenched in vulnerable futures that lie ahead, demands urgent and undivided attention. But the question is: has child marriage really ruined our society to the point of no return? Or is it a curse we brought upon ourselves? Or should we say that we, as a society, have failed to protect our kids?

Childhood stolen:
While childhood is something that should be cherished as the most carefree and formative time in life, for some, it remains only a dream. A period meant for growth, learning, and envisioning the future, not premature responsibility, should be thinking, “I am going to be a pilot”. But for many, life takes an unwanted flight to shattered hopes and crushed dreams. When children are forced into marriages, it not only steals their childhood. A child is stripped away from their identity, their dignity, and the little autonomy they have over their lives. Or should we say the autonomy they might have had in the future?
Child marriages turn kids into adults over one night. While they should be thinking about remote control cars and playing kitchen-kitchen with their friends, they are forced to lose the simple joys of being young and are sent to handle real kitchen duties. Such marriages make children responsible for the things they are not ready for yet or even meant to discover as kids.

The human cost of child marriage:
Child marriage is not just a custom in some cultures; it has become a way to play with the lives of innocent children. We are talking about real kids, facing the real consequences of a societal evil. Children who should be in school but are missing out big time on their education. Children who should be making paper boats when it rains, but are forced to face the monsoon that is their life now. 

Let’s have a look at some stats:
Child marriage is a pervasive evil that cannot be eradicated without understanding its underlying causes.
Globally, 1 in 5 young women were married before they could turn 18, which amounts to 20% of women going through the same torment. Approximately 640 million girls across the world were married off as child brides, with about 4 million being married before the age of 13 every year.
Sub-Saharan Africa: Almost 31% of women reported they were married off before the age of 18.

India: The country accounts for almost one-third of the world’s child brides, making it the most socially vulnerable country with the largest number of child brides in the world.
Latin America: The region shows 59 million girls becoming child brides before turning 15,
which accounts for almost 20% of child brides every year.
Pakistan: 1 in every 6 girls is married before the age of 18, and around 18% of women who are
now aged 20-24 were married before 18. Around 4% of girls were married before the age of 15 in Sindh and Punjab. It has been found that child marriage has become more prevalent in the rural areas of Punjab and Sindh, as per UNICEF’s compiled datasets.

Even though regulations are in order, Sindh still reports 21.7% of girls being married off before the age of 18 every year.The stats? Brutal. About 20 million women in Pakistan got married before 18. That’s 1 in 5. Four percent didn’t even make it to 15. If you’re rural or poor, your odds skyrocket. Zero education? One in three girls gets married off young. And don’t get me started on violence—over a third of teenage moms and young wives get abused by their husbands. These statistics don’t just showcase the brutal reality of gender inequality in Pakistan. It highlights the failure of legislation and human rights authorities in taking legal steps to prevent child marriage as an unlawful act.

The socioeconomic roots of child marriage:
Child marriages occur when individuals are forced into a sacred institution of marriage prematurely, even before entering adulthood. It has now become a persistent global issue with severe social and economic implications. Child marriage is found to hinder the mental, emotional as well and physical growth of an individual. Modern statistics show that kids forced into early marriages are less likely to achieve financial independence and continue living through the loop of a disadvantaged life across many
generations. But an evil cannot be driven away if it isn’t struck at its roots. It is not common that the roots of child marriage are deeply embedded in socioeconomic evils like poverty, illiteracy, and cultural
traditions.

Can poverty lead to child marriages?
The practice of child marriage is being triggered greatly in the lower class of society. Imagine this. A father of five daughters, desperately trying to make ends meet. His meagre earnings barely cover his family’s basic needs. On top of that, he faces constant pressure from his landlord to repay the small loan he took years ago. Calls and threats haunt him in his sleep. Caught in the despair of threats and daily survival, he is forced to give away his youngest to the landlord’s son. The youngest daughter, who is still just a child, had her dreams of being top of her class left unfinished.

Monsoon Brides:
Climate change into the mix and things get even messier. When disaster hits and families lose everything, marrying off daughters becomes a “solution.” It’s not just a social issue—it’s tied to disaster relief, poverty, and gender dynamics.

The whole “Monsoon Brides” trend is the stuff of nightmares. Every time the floods hit, families on the edge get pushed right over. In places like Khan Mohammad Mallah in Sindh, just in 2024, forty-five girls—some as young as 13—got married off, a third of them right before the rains came. Its survival math has gone toxic. Take Shumaila, 14, and her sister Amina, 13. Both were forced to marry older men—basically sold, because the family had no other way to make it through the floods. Floods rip up every safety net: crops, homes, jobs. Suddenly, a daughter’s worth is “the price of a cow—or less.” People aren’t monsters; they’re desperate. The UNDP says in these disaster zones, girls are a quarter more likely to drop out and get married early. All that progress on gender equality? Washed away in a season. UNICEF says the 2022 floods alone could bump up child marriage rates by 18%—five years of gains, just gone. It gets worse. The 2025 flash floods? Absolute carnage. Sure, the body count isn’t officially tied to child marriage, but let’s not kid ourselves—every climate disaster just makes girls more vulnerable to being married off as a “fix.” The law’s there, but when the water rises, so does the chaos. A bunch of provinces still let girls marry at 16, and local officials sometimes just look the other way. It’s even worse when disaster strikes and everyone’s scrambling to survive.

You can’t call Pakistan flood-resilient if you ignore what happens to girls. Disaster relief needs to have child protection baked in—cash aid, help getting kids back in school, and safe spaces to land. The rules about marriage age and registration need to stay solid, even in a crisis. Recovery efforts can’t just rebuild houses; they have to rebuild hope for girls, too. Otherwise, every monsoon just sweeps away more than bricks and mortar—it steals childhoods, dreams, and choices, one storm at a time.

Bottom line? Child marriage in Pakistan isn’t some harmless tradition. It’s a full-blown crisis that shreds childhoods, education, and lives. Until people stop hiding behind culture and start giving a damn about girls’ futures, this cycle’s just gonna keep spinning. This isn’t just a story of individual struggle; this is the living reality of many in Pakistan. It is a reflection of how economic struggles and lack of support send an average man into the misery of making decisions that reverberate through generations.
In Sindh, daughters are mostly sold off at a very young age to pay debts to the wealthy. This prime reason has become a driving cause of child marriage in the rural areas of Pakistan.
What happens when girls are forced into child marriages?

● Economic impacts
Child marriages profoundly impact the financial stability and independence of girls and strip them away from their financial rights as well. Some families marry their daughters off at the ages of 8 or 10 just to make sure they don’t ask for their share in inheritance. This limits the girls’ opportunities to gain lifelong skills and restricts their autonomy over their own lives.

● Maternal health risks
Girls married off at a very young age to older men face higher risks of pregnancy-related complications. As if bearing a child before even turning 15 is not enough of a pain for the girl, complications in early pregnancy are the leading cause of higher mortality rates among child brides. Lack of prenatal care among child brides and increased chances of domestic violence during pregnancy are also pretty common results of child marriages. Such child brides are treated worse than street rats and are often left in miserable conditions where they can’t even recognize their own features. The abuse and brutal torture they face daily, and isolation, leave them haunted and traumatized for the rest of their lives, making them lose the little thread of hope they kept holding onto every day.

It gets uglier. July 2025, Rawalpindi—Sidra Bibi, 18, gets murdered by her own family for marrying a man she chose. Nine arrests, including her own dad. Yeah, that’s the price some girls pay for dreaming about choosing their own partner. Flip the script to Bahawalpur, same month. Police actually stop a
13-year-old’s wedding—her dad, groom, and the nikkah khwan all in jail. A rare win, but it’s the exception, not the rule.

Let’s talk about legalities now…
Child marriage is legally banned in Pakistan. Yes, you heard it right. With so much legislation in place and the development sector funding the cause, it still prevails in 1 out of every 5 homes in the rural areas of Pakistan. Pakistan’s legal framework for child marriage became decentralized after the 18th amendment, and every province became responsible for passing its own legislation.

Bill to curb child marriages passes parliament in Pakistan

The latest federal act being the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025, passed by the Islamabad Capital Territory, sets 18 as the legal age to marry for both girls and boys, otherwise paying strong penalties for the violation of the law. Nonetheless, such laws seem like showpieces for the people to be displayed on mantles of injustice. Making a law and then just waving it around is pointless. Islamabad’s move looks good on paper, but if the country doesn’t connect legal words with real-world checks, support, and loud
community buy-in, it’s the same old story—just in new wrapping. Pakistan’s big shots—politicians, imams, you name it—need to pick a side. Are they gonna honor their international promises and protect kids, or keep selling out childhoods like spare livestock?

What has gone wrong?
Such intricate legislation needs careful and strict implementation. However, law enforcement still remains weak in Pakistan, especially when it comes to handling such sensitive issues. The cultural resistance to child marriage laws still persists as a continuous issue in the effective implementation of child marriage laws. Mostly, the general public of lower classes are not aware of such legislation and remain bound in the shackles of cultural traditions and economic
burdens. Corruption in the legal system and resource constraints are also another few issues within themselves. Restricted access of the lower class to adequate medical facilities in rural areas also hinder timely intervention and prosecution because age testing through medical verification is rarely done in such areas.

Conclusion:
The notion of child marriage is more multifaceted than it seems, and no matter how much we discuss such issues, it still remains under-discussed, and no action on the ground seems adequate to solve this social evil. Such marriages fuel the existing patriarchy in South Asian society and prevent child brides from acting on their free will and realizing their true potential as individuals. If Pakistan can build satellites and host international summits, surely it can figure out how to keep girls in school and out of forced marriages. This isn’t rocket science—it’s about guts, money, and finally admitting that “tradition” isn’t a free pass to ruin lives. The world’s not fooled by fancy speeches; what matters is whether fewer little girls disappear into “married life” and fewer families mourn in silence.

Child marriage is not a tradition worth preserving — it is a crime worth ending. The future of Pakistan lies not in the hands of child brides, but in educated, empowered girls who can shape the nation’s destiny. It’s time to replace customs that steal childhood with choices that secure it. Enact a national “Educate to 18” policy that would bind government welfare assistance to school attendance and make education free and mandatory for all girls and boys until they turn 18. In addition, a uniform marriage age law would be strictly enforced in every province, legal loopholes would be closed, and community awareness campaigns would be launched to combat cultural norms that support child marriage.

This strategy addresses poverty, damaging customs, and a lack of education all at once.
“Child marriage is not just a tragedy for young girls; it is a disaster for social development.”
“Ending child marriage is not about fighting tradition — it’s about fighting injustice.”
“We cannot claim progress while our daughters are still sold to tradition.”

Courtesy: UNICEF
Video: YouTube

UNICEF calls for collective action to end child marriage in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, 28 May 2025: UNICEF has launched a video campaign featuring National Ambassador Saba Qamar, to raise awareness about the urgent need to end child marriage in Pakistan. The video calls on communities to speak up against this harmful practice and reinforces UNICEF’s commitment to protect the rights of children and empower girls across Pakistan.

In the video, UNICEF’s National Ambassador for Child Rights, Saba Qamar, highlights the impact of child marriage on young girls’ futures and calls for unified action to protect children.

UNICEF National Ambassador Saba Qamar

“Why should any child in Pakistan be forced into a marriage and a future they did not choose? With all the risks to their health and education, we cannot allow this to go unchallenged. Last year in Sujawal, Sindh, I witnessed firsthand the impact of child marriage and the difference UNICEF’s work is making. I met inspiring young champions like Anam Nazir, 14, who stopped three marriages in her community,” said Ms Qamar. “I am proud to lend my voice to this campaign, for all the girls, and sometimes boys too, who suffer behind closed doors because of child marriage.”

Pakistan has the sixth highest number of child brides globally, with an estimated 19 million girls married before age 18. Nearly half become pregnant before their 18^th birthday, posing serious health risks for both mother and child. Only 13 per cent of married girls finish secondary school compared to 44 per cent of unmarried peers, limiting their future opportunities and independence.

“We cannot allow the circumstances a child is born into dictate their entire futures. Child marriage is often fueled by poverty, but it is also deeply rooted in entrenched gender norms and societal expectations,” said Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “We need legal reforms and enforcement, cultural change, and greater investment in adolescent girls – in their rights, their well-being and their potential. How can Pakistan succeed when half the team is left on the sidelines?”

UNICEF welcomes the recent decision by the Islamabad Capital Territory to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18, joining Sindh province, and encourages all remaining provinces and territories to seize the momentum and follow suit.

The campaign video is part of UNICEF’s broader advocacy work in collaboration with UNFPA, UN Women, and government partners. Efforts include:

• Raising the legal age of marriage to 18 across all provinces.
• Engaging communities through dialogue with parents, caregivers, and religious leaders and communication campaigns like BOLO (Speak up).
• Promoting girl-led activism and youth champions.

UNICEF National Ambassador Saba Qamar’s Video on Child Marriage

“Ms. Qamar is a powerful advocate for children,” said Mr. Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “We are proud to work with her to shine a light on the challenges too many children face, and to accelerate progress toward a future where every child—especially every girl—can learn, grow, and thrive.”

Child marriage must end, it’s time to empower Pakistan’s girls, says UNICEF ambassador Saba Qamar

By Dialogue Pakistan

The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the fight for children’s rights.

UNICEF ambassador Saba Qamar

Renowned Pakistani actress Saba Qamar was appointed as the country’s first National Ambassador for Children’s Rights by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The ceremony, held in Karachi on the International Day of the Girl Child, marked a significant milestone in the fight for children’s rights.

“I have joined UNICEF’s mission for the rights of children in Pakistan, especially for the empowerment of girls,” Saba Qamar said in an interview with Independent Urdu.

“It is an honor for me to be the ambassador. I pledge to play my part for the betterment of the children and youth of Pakistan so that they have the opportunity to dream and act to fulfill their dreams,” she added.

Pakistan faces alarming statistics, with 1.9 million young girls married, ranking sixth globally.

More than half of teenage girls become pregnant before their 18th birthday, posing life-threatening risks for both mother and child.

Saba said she will work against child marriage, citing its detrimental impact on girls’ rights.

During her visits to various Sindh districts, including Sajawal, with UNICEF, Saba witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by children.

“One thing is clear: UNICEF has done remarkable work, providing medicine and education facilities. However, clean water for children remains a significant problem there.”

According to Saba, she will leverage her international platform to raise awareness about critical issues, including child marriage, mental health, lack of education, gender equality, climate change, violence, exploitation, and poverty.

“She is a strong defender of women’s and girls’ rights. We look forward to working with her to address Pakistan’s biggest challenges and help every child realise their true potential,” Abdullah Fazil UNICEF’s head in Pakistan said welcoming the Kamli star.

By Seemal Nawaz
Content Writer
IELTS Instructor
CNW Education Consultants
C&W Resources & Education Consultants

Child Marriage In Pakistan
پاکستان میں بچوں کی شادی
पाकिस्तान में बाल विवाह

“To break the chains of child marriage, let’s empower girls through education”.
“Girls belong in school and on the playground, not in a wedding dress”.
“Stop child marriage to save the precious childhood of a child”.
“Supporting child marriage is nothing but supporting child abuse”. 

Child marriage is a human rights violation and a crime. Girls who marry as children are at a greater risk of intimate partner violence. It is a grave error to marry a minor. Please, for the sake of your child’s future happiness, refrain from making them cry. Education, not marriage, is the key to a successful life for a child. Love and care for a child are reasonable; child marriage is not.

Child Marriage In Pakistan

Deeply rooted in both culture and tradition, ‘Child Marriage’ is a multifaceted issue in Pakistan that needs our attention and voice to address it on all levels. Child marriage is a terrible act of denying children’s fundamental rights and a form of violence against them. In the past few years, this issue has managed to gain some scattered consideration, yet it needs way more than that. In Pakistan, many children become victims of child marriages, and most of them are girls. This horrific act of injustice denies their basic rights, including the right to make important decisions, which ultimately affects their lives, health and well-being.

Child Marriage – A Curse On Little Angels

Child marriages in Pakistan are nothing but a ‘curse’ on little children that brings them nothing but tons of difficulties and responsibilities. If we specifically talk about girls, these early marriages deprive them of their childhoods and future opportunities. Girls, who are forced to get married at a very young age, are less likely to complete their education and are more susceptible to domestic violence, abuse, and health problems.

Young females aged 15 to 19 have had the most reported instances of domestic abuse in the recent year, which was seen at a rate of 24.3%. Apart from other severe problems that are caused by child marriage, it also exposes girls to vulnerable pregnancies, fistulas, sexually transmitted illnesses, and even death. Teenage girls are considerably more likely to die from difficulties during labor than women in their twenties.

Marrying at a young age also limits a girl’s liberty. One in every 10 young girls aged 15 to 19 in Pakistan, has an input in their own health care, important home purchases, and visits to family or relatives. The health and human rights perspectives are usually used to call for the abolition of child marriage, but it is often overlooked that early marriage has a detrimental affect on a country’s economic growth and development. This makes Pakistan an example for the rest of the world because it is evident from the country’s economy as to how these issues are impacting it, leaving a disastrous effect, which is quite hard to overcome. According to a research published in 2017, child marriage could cost developing nations trillions of dollars by 2030. Given Pakistan’s high prevalence of child marriage, it is critical to understand the economic implications of child marriage in various aspects. However, what is even more important to understand here are the causes of this issue. What are the driving factors that contribute to this issue in our country? Let’s take a look at these!

Broad Drivers of Child Marriages In Pakistan

As previously stated, discourse and customs around early marriage in Pakistan are rooted in and informed by wider socio-cultural narratives about marriage and sexuality. These include the exchange of symbolic and commercial commodities related to marriage. More significant micro storylines to comprehend marriage patterns and behaviors, however, revolve on the rules and control of sexuality, particularly female sexuality.