Promoting Legislation, Prompting Action to End Child Marriage in Pakistan: Phase I
The project was aimed at creating conditions for legislative reforms and implementation against the practice of child marriage in Pakistan through a concerted advocacy campaign. The campaign had participation from both state and non-state actors and used mainstream traditional and new media vehicles to advocate for legislative reforms and implementation. The scope of the campaign was national and provincial. The project also aimed at giving a counter narrative to prevailing religious, cultural and social acceptance of the practice of child marriage in Pakistan.
At the very onset, the project conducted a number of formative studies including a media discourse analysis for identification of champions to take up the agenda in decision-making circles against the practice of child marriage in Pakistan. Identified champions were mobilised and supported for making case against child marriage though newspaper articles, symposia, testimonials and media endorsements.
Side-by-side, project has also established a caucus of civil society organizations working on the issue of child marriage for creating a synergetic and sustained impact even beyond the life of the project. Based on the formative work and through a consultative process with key stakeholders, the project has also produced an information toolkit on the issue of child marriage in Pakistan. The toolkit contains background papers, policy briefs, legislative proposals and other information material aimed at policymakers, journalists and religious leaders in Pakistan.
A critical mass of print journalists and television reporters is also produced through consultative meetings on rights-based reporting, mentoring and peer-to-peer support. Side-by-side, traditional media engagement is carried out through mobilisation of social media by production and release of video briefs, spots and online endorsements by policy makers from provincial assemblies as well as Senate of Pakistan. The social media campaign has reached to one more than one million young women in Pakistan and increased their knowledge on issues related to child marriage in Pakistan. One of the landmark achievements is the joint declaration by topmost religious leaders of Pakistan supporting state’s legislation to set minimum age at marriage.
This project is extended for another year for Phase-II to build on its lessons and successes. More information on Phase-II can be accessed through the following link:
 |
| Child Marriage in Pakistan: Animated Video (English) |
| Watch animation>> |
|
| Child Marriage in Pakistan: Animated Video (Urdu) |
| Watch animation>> |
 |
| Video Testimonial: Voices from Policy Corridors - Ms. Rubina Qaimkhani |
| Watch video>> |
 |
| Video Testimonial: Voices from Policy Corridors - Ms. Rahila Khadim Hussain |
| Watch video>> |
 |
| Child Marriage in Pakistan: Information Kit [English] |
| | Download PDF | |
 |
| Child Marriage in Pakistan: Information Kit [Urdu] |
| | Download PDF | |
Ms. Shagufta Bhatti
shagufta@ccp-pakistan.org.pk