ISLAMABAD: The Catholic Bishops’ conference on Friday demanded stricter laws to protect women and girls from forced marriages as the practice becomes a tool for forced conversions.
The National Commission for Justices and Peace (NCJP) - a human rights body of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops conference, demanded the provincial and the federal governments to recognise the gravity of the situation and help in curbing forced conversions, abduction and underage marriages.
Addressing the conference here at the National Press Club they said that the authorities have to move towards stronger legislation and ensure its implementation to curb this practice.
Held under the aegis of NCJP the topic of the conference was “Prohibition of Child and Forced Marriages for the Protection of Minorities and Minors”.
The NCJP is an advocacy organisation, with focus on protecting human rights of the marginalised segments of the society especially religious minorities, women, children and labourers.
Father Sarfraz Simon said that it has been observed that the cases of child and forced marriages as well as violence against women remain high.
“We urge the government to implement the constitutional guarantees of Article 20, 25 and most importantly the Article 36 which guarantees and ensure the protection of the rights of the religious minorities,” he said.
He added that every year many minor girls and women belonging to the Hindu and Christian communities become victims of abduction, forced marriage and forced conversions particularly in Punjab and Sindh.
Other speakers included Excutive Director Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (Poda) Samina Nazir, human right activist Dr Farzana Bari, Excutive Director Peace and Development Foundation Romana Bashir.
The speakers also stated that after the 18th Amendment, provinces are independent and autonomous in terms of legislation. Every province can have its own law to set the age of marriage and criminalise forced conversions and set precedent for the other provinces and the federal government.
The NCJP presented a set of solutions to stop forced conversions and other such issues, including criminalising forced conversion, and said that the definition of ‘forced conversion’ should be added to the legal framework of the state and legislation must be made on the said issue.
Other demands for the governments included Criminalising the act of minor girls sexual grooming, irrespective of girl’s faith or age, making 18 years minimum age for marriage, for both boys and girls through amendment in the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929.
Criminalise marriage without CNIC, and considering the validity of Child Registration Certificate as it was the document used to register minors under the age of 18 years. Therefore, this document be considered undisputed when determining the age of a minor.
The other important demand to stop forced conversions that the Certificate of Conversion should be given by the courts and not by any individual.
The speakers demanded that Special Protocols be set for police officers for unbiased behavior and investigations in such matters, and preferably female officer should be involved in the cases of forced conversions and forced marriages.
Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2023
