Lahore: Chairperson of Standing Committee on Gender Mainstreaming (Women Development), Provincial Assembly of the Punjab MPA Ms. UzmaKardarsigns MOU with Bargad organization to collaborate in capacity building, orientation, awareness campaigns and other actions for amplifying women voices with a focus on their social and economic empowerment. This partnership will also strengthen implementation of the Punjab Youth Policy 2012, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ending child marriage in Punjab. The event was chaired by Ms. UzmaKardar.
The signing ceremony was joined by a number of parliamentarians. The issue of ending child marriage in Punjab was also discussed in detail at the end of the ceremony and the Chairperson of the committee along with other members present during the signing ceremony announced to support a relevant new bill which is pending in the Punjab Assembly and waiting for the approval.The bill was presented in the assembly by Ms. UzmaKardar after getting it signed by around 250 parliamentarians. She said that the bill is a non-cognizable offence bill which asks to restrain the solemnization of child marriages in Punjab and proposes a three years punishment for whoever performs, conducts, directs, brings about or in any way facilitated any child marriage. The problem of solemnization of child marriages continues in the province of Punjab. She elaborated the implications of underage marriageswhich create health problems and also increase morality rates. Child marriage deprives a person from rights to health, education, economic opportunities and sometimes even life.
Other members of the Standing Committee on Gender Mainstreaming (Women Development) who joined the event included: MPA Ms. ZainabUmair, MPA Ms. Sajida Begum and MPA Nasreen Tariq. Gulalai Khan who is a gender advocate and founder of Pakistan Professional Women Forum along with other representatives of media and civil society also joined the event.
Ms. SabihaShaheen, Executive Director of Bargad said that such collaborations from Provincial Assembly of the Punjab are very forthcoming and will help synchronize the efforts of civil society and the government for women development in Punjab. During her talk, she briefed the parliamentarians about Bargad’s on-going campaign Say No To Child Brides and expressed that the signed MOU will help curb the issue of early age marriages in Punjab which is only aspect of this MOU. She said overall goal of this MOU is to works sustainable social and economic development of women and youth in Punjab.
