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Marriage- perhaps the most cherished tradition in Pakistani culture- is a commitment of love, pleasure, and tolerance. This contract between husband and wife, declared with high hopes, is considered by many as the most significant event in their lives. Very significant indeed......

Looking at the case of 21percent of the girls in Pakistan who are married before the age of 18, this event can really change their lives. Child marriage is not something new to our society. It has been around for years and it's almost everywhere, just existing in different forms.

Call it vani if you're in Punjab, call it swara if you're a pathan living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or call it bada if you're a Sindhi, but does that matter? Child marriage continues to ruin the lives of innocent girls everyday.

What is the status of a young girl in most parts of our society? Are they just a mere means of settling a blood feud between tribes or compensation for any ill crimes committed by the family's elders?

The prevalence of child marriages in our society is not something new, but the application of a counteractive legislation still seems impossible. This owes to the fact that while many of us may say that it is against human rights or it's illegal, child marriages are not widely reported and occur more frequently than we can imagine. For instance, a recent bill, proposed by Peoples Party Senator Sehar Kamran, which called for an amendment to the original Child Marriage Restraint Act was outright rejected as it was claimed to be "contrary to religious injunctions." Therefore, the first step that needs to be taken is to convince the general populace that child marriage is indeed a crime.

Putting aside for a moment, the psychological and emotional impact of child marriages, the associated health concerns cannot be ignored.

The young mothers, who shouldn't even be called mothers at their age, are frequently exposed to the risks of child birth. The maternal and infant mortality rate remains to be high, which can be attributed to the young age of pregnant women who lack an adequate diet, resulting in miscarriages or even numerous cases of still-born children. Child marriages not only affect the young parents who are still not mature enough to deal with parental problems but also have an adverse impact on the upbringing and grooming of their children. A great deal of babies born struggle early in their lives from nutritional deficiencies, mental illnesses, emotional distress, psychological and genetic disorders. Consequently, this problem is not only affecting the current generation but is also leaving a lasting impact on the next generation.

A great majority of the cases of child marriages are not actually by choice, but are arranged or forced. This not only affects the emotional state of those involved but also creates communal and family problems. For instance, young girls given as compensation to settle a blood feud won't integrate willingly into their new household. Subsequently, these forced marriages result in severe forms of child abuse. Such cases exist when the young wife is forced to bear a child rather than actually being willing to, making this an actual form of rape rather than a marriage.

In the situation where a son is not born, the wife is subject to extreme brutality and in sparing no time, they move on to have another child. This desire for having a son rather than a daughter is what comes to play here. This primitive idea does more harm to the society, as a whole, than we think. It reflects deeply on how people look down upon and demoralise their children, greatly undermining their capabilities and role.

Daughters are considered as a burden that parents need to get rid off as soon as they can. This leaves people psychologically dejected, without hope and with acceptance of a false idea of unimportance and removes their sense of individuality.

This is how Rubina, a victim of child marriage, expresses her thoughts: "Giving birth to a child while myself being a child, was the most painful experience of my life. I was married at a time when I did not have the slightest idea of what marriage does mean to a playful child."

The emotional and physical trauma inflicted on victims by the huge responsibility of pregnancy and brutality( as mentioned above) is scarring.

Considering the blatant negative effects inculcated on society and individuals, it is necessary that we must make people realise that child marriages are indeed a crime as they should be. We need to educate ourselves that our children are not liabilities or assets but individuals with rights which we must ensure are provided to them. Although changing the way people think may take a long time, it is all the more necessary that we start now. Only then will our children be safe tomorrow!

Mayed Ali Khan