An awareness raising campaign was organized on Child Marriage Act, 2013 and ‘stop killing women’ by Aurat Foundation in Tehsil Dharki on 6.1.16, whereas earlier  in District Ghotki on 30.12.2015.  As part of the campaign, two seminar were also organized in Tehsil Thul on 05-1-2016, whereas in District Jacobabad on 29.11.2015. These activities were conducted under the LISTEN project by Ms. Malka Khan, Regional Coordinator LISTEN, Sindh & Balochistan. It provided an opportunity for information exchange, regarding child marriages and killing women in the name of ‘honour’ in Sindh and Balochistan.  Women group leaders, lady health workers and community women were  part of the  campaign.

While sharing campaign objectives, Ms. Malka Khan said that this campaign is to raise awareness about the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013 for its effective implementation. In Pakistan, child marriages take place owing to various reasons such as customs, traditions, and extreme poverty, tribal and feudal structure of society.  Ms. Amar Sindhu, renown women’s rights activist, stressed that government shall place  an effective  mechanism to curb ‘honour’  crimes  against women.

In Thul & Jacobabad Ms. Safia Abbasi, District Coordinator Shikarpur said that child marriage is the most prevalent phenomenon in Pakistani society especially in Sindh. Early and forced marriage is a flagrant violation of human rights, she further said. 

Ms. Firdous Khawja, District Coordinator Jacobabad; said that Aurat Foundation has been continuously working and established 50 Women Leaders Group in 30 Districts in Pakistan and these groups have been working hard to for human rights specially for women’s rights. Mr. Faqeer Mohammad, EDO Social Welfare, Ghotki , said that they  will try their level best to implement the Act in the district..