Decision should be taken by weighing the negative and positive consequences of child marriage, of which in our society negatives are more; Maulana Muhammad Sharif Say
Islamabad July 11-2019
Child Marriage in the light of Islamic Teachings
“Islam does not promote child marriage and besides attaining puberty, someone also needs to be mature enough before getting married.” said Maulana Muhammad Sharif, a renowned Islamic scholar, in an awareness raising session held at National Press Club Islamabad which was organized by Center for Communication Programs Pakistan.
He said that someone may achieve puberty at an early age, but he/she may still not be mature enough to handle the responsibilities of a family and marriage. He further explained that in Islam neither early marriage is obligatory nor forbidden. Decision should be taken by weighing the negative and positive consequences of child marriage, of which in our society negatives are more.
Mr Tahir Abbas from Center for Communication Programs Pakistan shared reasons, consequences and legal framework to address the issue of child marriage. Some basic facts are very alarming. Recent government data by the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-18 shows that 29 percent of women (age 25 to 49) were married by age 18, as compared to five percent of men (30 to 49 years). About 13.5 percent of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 are married and 13 percent give birth by age 18, according to PDHS 2017-18. Fifteen percent of teenage girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had begun childbearing as compared to only six percent in Punjab.
Even though Pakistan ratified both the UNCRC (1990) and CEDAW (1996), there is no overarching law in the country, except in Sindh, that upholds the minimum age of marriage for both boys and girls as being 18 years of age.
He further stated that Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) called up all Muslim countries through the Khartoum Declaration 2009 to take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls and all harmful traditional or customary practices such as child marriage.
Concluding the session, Maulana Muhammad Sharif said that religious scholars are duty bound to educate public about the social problems of child marriage and consequences such denial of right to education and serious risks to health of mothers and children. Educating youth and parents, giving them right knowledge and perspective is more effective than passing legislation on this issue. Since it is a more social issue so society and state has everyright to make laws which are suitable for need of the society.
END