Mandi Bahauddin, Thursday 25 September 2025 — Civil society representatives from diverse sectors – law, health, education, media, youth, and grassroots communities unanimously passed a resolution demanding the minimum legal age of marriage for girls be raised from 16 to 18 years in Punjab.
The session was organized by Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) under its three-year project “Reduce Early Marriages to Enhance Gender Equality,” supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The awareness session was conducted by Ms. Nabeela Aslam, Project Manager at PODA, supported by Mr. Sohail Yousaf, Project Officer and facilitated by Ms. Nagina Sadaf, the project’s focal person in Mandi Bahauddin. The session was held at Khursheed Memorial Homeo Hospital.
Participants highlighted that early marriage remains a widespread issue, particularly in marginalized communities such as brick-kiln workers, rural laborers, and migrant populations. Poverty, gender inequality, lack of education, and harmful customs like watta satta continue to push young girls into marriage—cutting short their education and endangering their health.
Speakers expressed concern over the inconsistent legal framework around child marriage in different provinces, which creates loopholes and allows offenders to exploit the system. Participants called for uniform legislation across Pakistan, stricter enforcement, and digitization of marriage registration through online Nikah Nama and CNIC verification to prevent underage unions.
“Today’s girls deserve the right to complete their education and live healthy lives,” said one participant. “This law is over 100 years old—it’s time we aligned it with today’s realities.”
The group also emphasized the importance of mass awareness campaigns and community engagement, particularly in rural areas where resistance to change stems from misinformation and traditional practices.
The event concluded with strong support for PODA’s inclusive strategy, which brings together all sectors of society to create a collective response to end early and child marriages.
