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Is an end to child marriage within reach?

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1 year ago

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Despite witnessing a steady decline in child marriage during the last decade, multiple crises including conflict, climate shocks, and the ongoing fallout from the coronavirus pandemic are threatening to reverse hard-earned gains, warned the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

In its latest report — Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach? Latest trends and future prospects — Unicef said that one in five young women aged 20 to 24, were married as children, versus nearly one in four a decade ago.

“The world is engulfed by crises on top of crises that are crushing the hopes and dreams of vulnerable children, especially girls who should be students, not brides,” Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement.

“Health and economic crises, escalating armed conflicts, and the ravaging effects of climate change are forcing families to seek a false sense of refuge in child marriage. We need to do everything in our power to ensure that their rights to an education and empowered lives are secured,” she added.

Girls who marry in childhood face immediate and lifelong consequences. They are less likely to remain in school, and face an increased risk of early pregnancy, in turn increasing the risk of child and maternal health complications and mortality, Unicef notes.

The practice can also isolate girls from family and friends, and exclude them from participating in their communities, taking a heavy toll on their mental health and well-being.

The report cites global progress, driven predominantly by a decline in India, though this country is still home to the largest number of child brides worldwide.

Progress is also evident in other contexts, including in populous countries where the practice has historically been common, such as Bangladesh and Ethiopia, as well as in smaller countries with lower levels of child marriage that are moving closer to elimination, such as Maldives and Rwanda, the analysis says.

The experiences of these countries illustrate that progress is possible in a variety of settings, Unicef said.

Still, they tend to share common threads, including improvements in economic development, poverty reduction, access to employment and educational attainment at the secondary school level.

Here are key facts about child marriage in South Asia:

  •  Around one in four young women in South Asia were first married or in union before their 18th birthday;
  •  Child brides in South Asia are more likely to live in poor households, have less education and reside in rural areas;
  • Three in four child brides in the region give birth while they are still adolescents;
  • The vast majority of child brides in South Asia are out of school, and
  • South Asia leads the world in progress on reducing child marriage.

Worldwide, conflict, climate-related disasters, and the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 – especially rising poverty, income shocks, and school dropout – are helping to increase the drivers of child marriage while also making it difficult for girls to access health care, education, social services, and community support that protect them from child marriage, the report says.

As a result, girls living in fragile settings are twice as likely to become child brides as the average girl globally, it notes.

For every ten-fold increase in conflict-related deaths, there is a seven per cent increase in the number of child marriages. At the same time, extreme weather events driven by climate change increase a girl’s risk, with every 10 per cent deviation in rainfall connected to around a 1 per cent increase in the prevalence of child marriage.

Precious gains to end child marriage in the past decade are also being threatened by the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, the analysis warns. It is estimated that the pandemic has already cut the number of child marriages that could have been averted since 2020, by one-quarter.

“We’ve proven that progress to end child marriage is possible. It requires unwavering support for vulnerable girls and families,” added Ms. Russell. “We must focus on keeping girls in school and making sure they have economic opportunities.”

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“Apni Chhat.Apna Ghar”: Punjab’s Chief Minister Examines a House Under Construction

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited a home in Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, constructed under the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” Loan Scheme.

To give the home owner furniture, CM Punjab gave the order.

The walls on the three-marla plot have been finished, and the roof-laying process has begun.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif gave Subia Munir a roof and gave a check for the second installment of the house’s development.

Maryam Nawaz was happy to be able to offer the home owner her warmest wishes on this particular occasion.

She stated that every citizen has the right to own a home and that the government is dedicated to helping those in need.

Information and Security Minister Uzma Bukhari, Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, and other officials attended the event.

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148 X-ray machines have been allotted to the provinces as part of the comprehensive measures taken to eradicate tuberculosis. This is Dr. Mukhtar.

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TB is being eradicated across the country, according to Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, who is the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services. He has stated that efforts are being implemented that are both coordinated and effective.

For the purpose of diagnosing and eliminating tuberculosis, he stated in a statement that 148 X-ray equipment had been allotted to the provinces.

133 X-Ray machines have been delivered up to this point, according to him, and the process of distributing the remaining devices is currently underway and will be finished in the near future.

Dr. Mukhtar Bharath stated that these equipment are going to be deployed in hospitals that provide services for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis that are available.

In order to strengthen the primary health care system, he says that all of the essential actions are being taken.

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Speech Made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister on the International Day Against Poverty

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5 days ago

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In renewing our commitment to a world where no one is left behind and where possibilities for success are unrestricted by one’s origin or circumstances, Pakistan stands together with the global community on this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In addition to being morally right, ending poverty is essential to attaining sustainable development and guaranteeing everyone’s peace and prosperity.

The people have always been the center of every policy made by our government. We have significantly reduced poverty and made sure that our most vulnerable residents are taken care of thanks to our social safety net programs. We think that providing long-term routes to economic empowerment is equally as important as providing instant relief when it comes to assisting people in escaping poverty. Our focused initiatives seek to equip communities—women and children in particular—with the means to create better futures for themselves.

The Pakistani government is steadfast in its commitment to improving the affordability of living for its citizens despite the obstacles we face on a global scale, such as inflation and economic instability. Our policies are designed to build long-term economic resilience, from meeting housing needs to guaranteeing food security. With the help of programs like the PM Youth Business, Agriculture Loans, Digi-Skills, which offers free IT training, and the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund, millions of families are receiving financial support and technological help that is changing their lives.

Eradicating poverty is also a top priority for Pakistan, which is still fully committed to reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a focus on inclusive growth, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, we will keep working together with our international partners to achieve these goals. The advancements made in empowering women and guaranteeing that their contributions are essential to the country’s social and economic fabric are another reason for pride.

On this day, I would want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who is devotedly striving to end poverty, both in Pakistan and globally. We can create a future where everyone, regardless of circumstances, has the chance to flourish and succeed by uniting with a shared purpose and unwavering determination.

I speak on behalf of the Government of Pakistan to reiterate our steadfast commitment to this cause and to extend an invitation to all facets of society to work with us to create a world that is more wealthy, just, and inclusive.

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