Zeitschrift für Frauengesundheit
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Determinants of Child (Early) Marriages among Young Girls- A Public Health Issue

Sahreen Malik Bhanji and Neelam Saleem Punjani

“The Sindh government has recently proposed amending the old child marriage laws to include stricter penalty and punishments”. The practice of early marriage has increasingly been recognized as human rights violation affecting girls more than boys with severe consequences. Though the numbers of cases have reduced worldwide, it still remains pervasive in South Asia, predominantly in Pakistan. Despite national laws and international agreements, this public health issue presents a threat to the lives and health of children, especially young girls. This paper highlights the major determinants of child marriages, the magnitude of the problem and its implications along with some of the public health measures to reduce the impact.