Child marriages in Pakistan are rising, reason will leave you shocked, it is...

In Pakistan, heavy monsoon rains have led to an increase in child marriages, as families struggle with economic hardships caused by climate change. Shamila, 14, and her sister Amina, 13, were married off by their parents to help the family survive. Their parents received money in exchange for the marriages, hoping it would improve their situation, reported AFP.

Child marriage rates had been declining in Pakistan, but after the devastating floods of 2022, these rates are rising again. The monsoon season, crucial for farming, has become more intense due to climate change, leading to floods and crop damage. 

Villages like Khan Mohammad Mallah in Sindh, which were severely impacted by the 2022 floods, have seen a sharp increase in child marriages, with families marrying off young girls in exchange for money.

According to the report, Shamila’s mother-in-law, Bibi Sachal, said they paid 200,000 Pakistan Rupees for her, a significant amount in a region where families live on as little as one dollar a day. Many girls like Shamila had hoped for a better life after marriage but are left facing the same struggles.

Pakistan has the sixth-highest number of girls married before 18 in the world. In Pakistan, legal age for marriage varies from 16 to 18 in different regions.