NCSW with support of its partners UNFPA, UNICEF & UN-Women recently held a two-day National Consultation on Child Marriage on 11-12 October, 2023. The consultation brought together experts, advocates, policymakers and representatives from Federal and Provincial departments and civil society organizations.
They engaged in a dialogue on the proposed frame work on child marriage prepared with the support of UNFPA. During the consultation, input from all stakeholders was obtained and incorporated to the framework prepared to address challenges posed by child marriage in the country. An action plan was sketched to prevent child marriage, which will be shared in this second round of provincial consultations to customize it according to specific needs of different regions and provinces.
The first session of the second round has been arranged in Gilgit Baltistan (GB). Purpose of this consultation is to hold a fruitful discussion leading to actionable solutions to address the issue of child marriage in our society.
Minster Women Development GB Ms. Dilshad Bano, Minister Information Technology GB Ms. Surriya Zaman , Secretary Women Development GB Mr. Fida Hussain, the Office of the Chief Secretary GB along with the development partners UNICEF, UNDP and UN-Women participated in this consultation. Speaker GB Legislative Assembly Mr. Nazir Ahmad attended the session as Chief Guest.
In her opening remarks, Chairperson Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar said that NSCW was helping to review and improve the draft child marriage restraint bill for Gilgit Baltistan with the support and collaboration of civil society, relevant government departments, educational institutions and religious scholars. This law would ensure provision of basic health facilities to young girls and would guarantee their rights under the teachings of Islam. She further said that the draft bill would be thoroughly examined by Council of Islamic Ideology before moving it to legislative assembly.
While discussing the financial empowerment of women, Chairperson said that to ensure market access for women, NCSW along with UN agencies and donors would try to establish community based Women’s Digital Resource Centers and other such platforms where women would be able to sell their products with more ease. She added that she was visiting GB first because she loved GB the most and because it had an elected government that could take forward the legislation at this point in time.
She further said that only with the help of proper education we could protect young girls from sexual and social exploitation. She ensured her full support at every step to move forward the agenda to prevent child marriage in the region.
At this occasion, Minister for Women Development GB, Ms. Dilshad Bano appreciated the help and support of chairperson NCSW to bring up pro-women laws and measures in GB to empower women. She also expressed her gratitude to Speaker GB Assembly, Parliamentarians and the officers of Government of GB to join hands for this important cause.
In his remarks, Secretary Women Development Mr. Fida Hussain said that Women Development Department has taken full measures to empower women in Gilgit Baltistan. He said that the department had taken steps for building the capacity for women in Demand Driven Trades in which nineteen women have been trained so far on digital skills, cooking, embroidery and knitting in the five districts of Gilgit i.e.; Skardu, Diamere, Astore, Hunza and Nagar.
Minister IT Ms. Surriya Zaman said that the IT Park had unique opportunities for women to enhance their online business and to financially empower women in GB.
Speaker GB Assembly Mr. Nazir Ahmed while addressing as chief guest specially thanked Chairperson NCSW for taking keen interest in the issue of child marriage in GB. He said that in our society we don’t allow anyone to drive, to do any job, to enter into an agreement before reaching the age of majority i.e. eighteen years but we allow the under-age marriage that is one of the most serious contracts in life. This is simply against the common sense and it has no religious base.
Session was ended with a vote thanks from Chief/Joint Secretary NCSW Mr. Sikandar Masood.
