Legal Handling of Child Marriage as a Violation of Human Rights in Pakistan
Summary & Objectives
This article examines child marriage in Pakistan through a human-rights and legal lens, assessing how international obligations and national legal frameworks address the practice and where enforcement fails. It situates child marriage as a persistent violation of children’s and women’s rights despite formal legal prohibitions, and interrogates the interaction between statutory law, religious and customary norms, and weak implementation. The objective is to evaluate the adequacy of existing legal responses and to identify reforms needed to strengthen protection, accountability, and access to justice for affected children.
Findings
The study finds that child marriage is clearly recognised as a human rights violation under international instruments such as the CRC, CEDAW, and the UDHR, yet remains widespread in Pakistan due to legal loopholes, inconsistent enforcement, and strong socio-cultural acceptance. National laws are undermined by exceptions, weak prosecution, and limited institutional capacity, particularly in rural areas. Girls are disproportionately affected, experiencing disrupted education, early pregnancy, exposure to violence, and long-term economic dependency. Judicial remedies exist but are often inaccessible to victims because of poverty, fear of stigma, and lack of legal awareness.
Recommendations
The article calls for harmonising national laws with international standards by enforcing a minimum marriage age of 18 without exceptions. It emphasises strengthening enforcement mechanisms, improving judicial capacity, and expanding access to legal aid and victim-centred justice. Legal reform must be paired with community engagement, education for girls, and public awareness campaigns that challenge social and religious justifications for child marriage. Sustainable progress requires coordinated action between the state, civil society, and international partners.
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