The MWF makes some requests to the government, starting with the strict and impartial implementation of the law on the limitation of the marriage of underage girls belonging to religious minorities.
Lahore (AsiaNews) - The Minority Women Forum (MWF) * released its first statement on the Arzoo case today, 2 November. The MWF strongly condemns the heinous practice of under aged marriages of girls belonging to the religious minorities in Pakistan on the pretext of changing religion and contracting marriage of their choice. As under the Child Marriage Restraint Act this amounts to statutory rape.
The case of Arzoo Raja, once again, calls our attention to the multiple vulnerabilities of minor girls of religious minorities emanating from the social divisions based on class, caste, religion and gender. Various research studies explain the disastrous consequences of underage marriages on the health of mother and child and deprive the girls from their right to education.
While respecting the independent right to conversion to any faith, we urge the concerned authorities to look into the pattern of religious conversions followed by under-age marriages. If no action is taken against such rampant practices, then such incidents will strongly contribute towards the spread of social divisions, distances and disharmony among communities of different faiths. Adhering to the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929, such marriages of minor girls need to be invalidated.
We call upon the government to;
*MWF is minority women led group formed to advocate for the rights of minority women and girls. @MinorityWomenPK