The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has expressed deep concern over the recent Lahore High Court judgment that validated the marriage of a 15-year-old girl on the basis of puberty, despite existing laws that set a legal minimum age of marriage.
In a statement, NCSW stressed that child marriage is a grave violation of girls’ rights and constitutes a form of gender-based violence. It perpetuates cycles of poverty, illiteracy, and ill health, undermining the potential and future of Pakistan’s young women. Girls married at or soon after puberty face severe health risks, including high maternal mortality, obstetric complications, premature births, low birth weight, and infant deaths. Many adolescent brides also suffer from malnutrition and anemia due to limited access to reproductive healthcare. Beyond physical dangers, child brides are highly vulnerable to domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and psychological trauma caused by being forced into adult responsibilities too early in life.
NCSW underscored that Pakistan is bound by its Constitution, which guarantees equality and protection from exploitation under Articles 25 and 35, as well as by its international commitments under CEDAW, CRC, and the SDGs. These frameworks obligate the state to eliminate child marriage and safeguard the rights of girls.
Reiterating its position, NCSW emphasized the need to standardize the legal marriage age at 18 for both girls and boys across all provinces and territories. The Commission stated that setting and strictly enforcing this minimum age is essential to protect children from coercion, abuse, and exploitation, while ensuring their rights to education, health, and development.
NCSW called on legislatures and provincial governments to urgently harmonize and enforce laws, urged the judiciary to interpret legislation in line with constitutional and international obligations, and appealed to state institutions, civil society, and religious leaders to unite in the fight against child marriage.
The Commission concluded that child marriage is not only a violation of the law but also of dignity, equality, and justice, reaffirming its commitment to working for the uniform enforcement of the minimum marriage age across Pakistan.
