PESHAWAR
National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) here Tuesday organized a consultative workshop to aware people about demerits of underage marriages, and to discuss measures needed to prevent the social practice.
The consultative workshop was held with the cooperation of UNICEF, UK Aid and UNFPA. The provincial caretaker minister for social welfare, Justice Retired Irshad Qaisar attended the event as a Chief Guest.
Speaking on the occasion, caretaker minister said that a road map would be provided to next elected government for preventing the occurrence of underage marriages.
She said civil society and welfare organization should work in liaison and devise a result oriented plan to stop underage marriages adding that a roadmap would also be provided to authorities to ascertain the age of girls.
Chairperson NCSW, Nelofar Bakhtiar said that commission is striving to amend the existing law about child marriages and added that Islamic Ideology Council has been taken into confidence about the issue.
She said that we desire that proper legislation should be made to prevent underage marriages that are increasing day by day due to poverty and ignorance of people about women rights. She also handed over draft of the proposed legislation to caretaker minister.
Chief Child Protection Unit, Ejaz Khan said that efforts are underway to declare identity card as a mandatory document for marriage. He informed workshop participants about perils of underage marriages and said that unit has always taken prompt action on the complaints about child marriages.
