School Children take part in protest to stop child marriages

ABID ALI SOLANGI
DADU: A Seminar on child marriages held at Ideal school Khairpur Nathan Shah town, organized by an NGO SSO – Sujag Sanar Organziation with collaaboration of Catapult Organization on Saturday. While speakers at the seminar admired efforts of Sindh Assembly members for passing law against the child marriages.
A big number of civil society activists, teachers, students, citizens and journalists participated in the seminar.
Speaking at seminar, president Khairpur Nathan Shah Press Club, Ahmed Khan said that Sindh government deserve praise for passing the law but he said that we appeal to the Sindh government for its implementation, otherwise this law would be of no use.
Gulsher Panhwer from Sujag Sansar while sharing survey results of 2014, conducted by SSO in 50 village of taluka Johi said that out of total 183 marriages in these villages in a year period 43 were child marriages. He said that out of total 2326 marriage couples only 226 were registered marriages. He said that main reasons of the child marriages cited in survey were vata sata, poverty, outdated traditions, fear of the parents that if not married at younger age girl will elope.
Sajad Jokhio of SDA – Sindh Development Association said that we are welcoming SSO and facilitating its working in KN Shah as we believe this work will help the girls escape the curse of child marriages.
Zafar Lakhair, chairman of the school said that we teachers better understand that education can empower girls and help them to avoid child marriages and we are ready to spread the word to others. He said that we salute Sindh Assembly members for this law against child marriages
Nikahkhwan, Muhammad Waris said that after attending serious of programs of SSO, I refused to perform three nikahs where girls were minor. He said that after the passage of the time, law would be implemented fully in the province.
While theater story on child marriages was also presented by SSO Team. However, at the end of program, the rally was taken out from school in the support of Sindh assembly members to appreciate the honorable members for the passage of the law. Students carrying banners, pla cards and raised slogans in the support of the mover of the bill. Rally was led by the principal of the school, Ghulam Nabi Rustmani, Hakim Zadi from Sujag Sansar and others.