ISLAMABAD
\nSenator Sherry Rehman has lauded the Government of Balochistan, its Provincial Assembly, and Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for taking a historic step toward ending child marriage by advancing crucial legislation aimed at blocking the practice. She noted that Sindh government had passed Sindh Child Marriage Restraint 2013, followed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in 2025 which she tirelessly worked for, and urged Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to enact the same protections to safeguard the rights and future of young girls across Pakistan. Senator Rehman emphasized that ending child marriage is only the first step in improving the lives of girls and women nationwide. \u201cThe next step is expanding women\u2019s access to healthcare, educating families on birth spacing, and strengthening nutrition and education systems as public goods for all children,\u201d she stated. \u201cWhen women are empowered to make adult life choices, they contribute significantly to the economy, raise healthier children, promote literacy, and protect the environment.\u201d
\nCiting critical national indicators, Senator Rehman expressed concern over Pakistan\u2019s troubling maternal and child health outcomes. \u201cPakistan has the highest infant mortality rate in South Asia, with 53.54 deaths per 1,000 live births. Over 40% of children under five are stunted due to malnutrition\u2014often the tragic result of young mothers who lack education, agency, and access to proper healthcare.\u201d
\nReferencing the UNFPA Annual Report 2024, she added: \u201cEvery 50 minutes, a woman in Pakistan dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. Much of this is directly attributable to underage marriage, where girls have no control over their nutrition, their health, or even the fate of their own children.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Senator Sherry Rehman has lauded the Government of Balochistan, its Provincial Assembly, and Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for taking a historic step toward ending child marriage by advancing crucial legislation aimed at blocking the practice. She noted that Sindh government had passed Sindh Child Marriage Restraint 2013, followed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":478074,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-515335","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n