Sindh Human Rights Commission Reaffirms Commitment to Prevent Child Marriage and Strengthen Marriage Registration

PRESS RELEASE
Sindh Human Rights Commission Reaffirms Commitment to Prevent Child Marriage and Strengthen Marriage Registration
Karachi, 18 December 2025 — The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) today reaffirmed its commitment to preventing child marriage and strengthening marriage registration systems in Sindh at a showcase event held at Avari Hotel, Karachi, in collaboration with the Legal Aid Society and UNFPA.

Addressing the participants, Agha Fakhur Hussain, Secretary, Sindh Human Rights Commission, stated that child marriage remains one of the most serious human rights challenges in the province and continues to disproportionately affect girls by denying them their fundamental rights to education, health, protection, and informed consent.
The Secretary emphasized that, despite the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, gaps in implementation, weak birth and marriage registration mechanisms, and entrenched social norms continue to enable early and forced marriages. The Commission stressed that effective birth and marriage registration serves as a critical preventive tool and enables the State to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
Highlighting the public health dimensions of child marriage, the Secretary noted that early marriage causes long-term and irreversible harm to maternal health, child wellbeing, and mental health. The Secretary called for coordinated and sustained action by health authorities, local government institutions, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations.
Reaffirming its statutory mandate, the Sindh Human Rights Commission committed to actively monitor human rights violations, promote institutional accountability, and advocate for rights-based reforms through close collaboration with government departments and civil society partners.
The Commission concluded by urging stakeholders to translate dialogue into practical, coordinated, and time-bound actions to ensure that every child in Sindh receives effective protection from early and forced marriage.