The Change in Legal Age of Marriage and Its Effects on Forced Marriages in Pakistan
Getting married is the most important event of anyone’s life and it has to be at the perfect legal age for court marriage and perfect timing. People in Pakistan usually get married when they are settled have a job and have completed their studies. But people who are living in villages or backward areas are not educated enough to understand that they should get their kids married at the right age for court marriage and when they are ready to take the responsibility of the marriage.
Many parents get their young kids married before they are ready and can take the responsibility of marriage. There are many cases where parents get their girls married at the age of 13 14 and even before 10 years. Such cases are referred to as forced marriages as the little kids can not give consent and have to get married against their will. However, as per the Child Marriage Restraint Act, of 1929, the legal age for kids to get married was set and anyone who went against this rule would be subjected to fine and imprisonment.
Legal age for Court Marriage According to Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929
According to the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 the legal age for girls is 18 years and for boys is 18 years which means parents who marry their girls before the age of 18 years will be subject to punishment. Boys should also get married after the age of 18 according to this law.
This law somehow protects against children and forces marriages in Pakistan but some people have objections to this law that the legal age for girls to get married should be 18 like boys as at 16 years old girls are still young and are not ready to get married. Therefore the government of Sindh has made another law that protects girls from forced marriages.
Change in Legal age According to Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013
The Sindh government is the first one to take a bold step against child marriages by raising the legal age of marriage for girls. According to this act, the new legal age for court marriage has been increased to 18 years for girls as well. This step has helped save many girls from child marriage as their parents can not get them married before this age. Federal authorities are also trying to raise the legal age but there are certain restrains in the government and hopefully, they will be able to do so in future.
Effects on Forced Marriages in Pakistan
The rise in the legal age for marriage has greatly affected the cases of child Court Marriage in Karachi because people now fear getting their kids married at young ages due to the punishment they will face. The law has empowered women, allowing girls to study or build their careers before marriage and protecting them from forced marriages at a young age.