Daily Times

Sir: Bringing an end to the practice of child marriage is one of the sustainable development goals of the UN. To achieve the targeted pace of development, child marriage must be eradicated from the world by 2030. Although the current statistics of 12 million girls getting married every year below the age of 18 are stark reminders of the long way the initiatives and the efforts against child marriage have to go.

Whereas bringing an end to child marriage is far easier in urban areas, it’s the rural areas of the developing countries like Pakistan where a greater proportion of the population is illiterate and hence religiously believes in the importance of underage marriages to keep their social structure intact. Yet they are unaware of the long-term effects of the practice that is not limited to constrained economic growth but also higher infant mortality rate, poor health and stunted growth of children born to young mothers.

It is only if the laws against child marriage are strictly implemented that the practice will be put to an end in the times to come.

MAHAM HUSSAIN

Karachi

Published in Daily Times, July 2^nd 2018.