This project will create momentum for preventing child marriages in Sindh province of Pakistan. Faith leaders and journalists will be trained. Awareness will be raised through interesting theatre stories about the harmful effects of child marriages and new laws passed against child marriages would be imparted to adolescent boys and girls students and their teachers, parents. Social, electronic and print media campaign and utilization of IEC material would also complement the campaign.
Child marriages are rampant in Pakistan. According to demographic survey of Pakistan, Sindh prevalence of child marriages are highest in Sindh province ( (33%) followed by NWFP: (29%), Balochistan: (22%) and Punjab: (20%)). According to Sujag Sansar own survey child marriages ratio was 49 percent in the District. Due to religious and cultural reasons The girls are not only married at younger age but their fate for marrying in future is fixed by the parents and elders before their birth.
After getting authentic information from the project activities the faith leaders and performers of marriage ritual marriages would refuse to perform marriages rituals of underage girls and exhort parents not to arrange child marriages. Trained journalists would report against the planned marriages and the police would take action to pre-empt child marriages. The information against the harmful impact of child marriages would also be spread through theatre and publications.
Project activities would bring reduction in child marriages. trained and aware key stakeholders would continue to play their role in preventing child marriages. With the reduction in the child marriage ratio, health, education and social and economic status of the girls and women would increase. Reduction in child marriages would also result in the reduction of large family size and reduce poverty. With the reduction of child marriages and cases of polygamy honour killing will also be reduced
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
