Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed a landmark legislation that sets the legal age for marriage among Christians at 18, a move aimed at curbing forced marriages and safeguarding the rights of minors within the community. The bill, known as the ‘Christian Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2024′, marks a significant update to the archaic Christian Marriage Act of 1872, which previously permitted marriages at ages as low as 16 for boys and 13 for girls.
Naveed Amir Jeeva, a Christian member of the National Assembly who championed the bill, emphasized its importance in protecting young girls from early marriages, thereby ensuring their access to education and healthcare. The amendment, which received bipartisan support, aligns Christian marriage laws with Pakistan’s child protection and human rights standards.
Senator Kamran Michael, who initially proposed the amendment in January 2023, highlighted the urgent need to shield children from sexual exploitation and forced conversions, challenges disproportionately faced by Pakistan’s Christian community. The bill’s approval from both houses of Parliament now awaits presidential assent to become law.
“The unanimous support from all major Christian denominations underscores the community’s unified stance on protecting our girls and preserving their fundamental rights,” stated Jeeva, expressing optimism about the legislation’s potential impact.
Leaders from prominent church denominations, including Bishop Azad Marshall of the Anglican Church of Pakistan, commended the legislative milestone. Marshall credited Senator Michael and MNA Naveed Jeeva for their unwavering efforts in advocating for Christian rights and protections, viewing the bill’s passage as a catalyst for addressing broader issues affecting minorities in Pakistan.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan and the National Commission for Justice and Peace echoed this sentiment, hailing the amendment as a longstanding demand fulfilled. They emphasized the law’s pivotal role in preventing forced conversions and child marriages among Christian girls, urging further government action to criminalize such practices nationwide.
While activists acknowledge the amendment’s potential to mitigate child marriages, they assert that additional measures are necessary to ensure its efficacy, particularly concerning laws and interpretations affecting minority girls’ maturity age under Sharia. They cited previous legislative efforts in Punjab and ongoing challenges posed by conservative religious factions opposing reforms aimed at protecting minority rights.
Pakistan’s recent legislative strides in reforming Christian marriage laws signify a critical step forward in safeguarding minority rights and combating forced marriages and conversions. However, ongoing advocacy and legislative efforts remain essential to fully address the complex challenges faced by Pakistan’s vulnerable minority communities.