Child, forced marriages of minority girls in Pakistan flagged at UN event

UN rights event highlights risks faced by girls in Pakistan’s child marriages (ANI photo) The impact of child and forced marriages on girls in Pakistan, particularly those from minority communities, was discussed at a side event during the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.Speakers at the event raised concerns about girls being married at a young age and the consequences for their education, health and basic rights. The event was reported by Global Human Rights Defence, a UN ECOSOC-accredited human rights organisation.Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan and a human rights defender, pointed to the scale of child rights violations in Pakistan and the vulnerability of children who enter marriage at an early age.“Most recently, UNICEF gave the data about Pakistan. Ninety million women and children and girls have been affected by child rights violations. And of them, 4.8 million were under 15 years of age,” Walter said.Walter said early marriage can leave girls without access to basic education and expose them to serious health risks, particularly during pregnancy.“You know, dear excellencies and dear audience, that during pregnancy, m...