Images

Unicef launches campaign against child marriage with its national ambassador, Saba Qamar

Unicef launches campaign against child marriage with its national ambassador, Saba Qamar

Why should any child in Pakistan be forced into a marriage and a future they did not choose, the actor asked in a video.
29 May, 2025

The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has launched a video campaign featuring Unicef’s National Ambassador for Child Rights Saba Qamar to raise awareness about the urgent need to end child marriage in the country.

The video called on communities to speak up against the practice and reinforced Unicef’s commitment to protect the rights of children and empower girls across Pakistan, the UN agency announced on Thursday.

In the video, Qamar, highlighted the impact of child marriage on young girls’ futures and called for unified action to protect children.

“Why should any child in Pakistan be forced into a marriage and a future they did not choose? With all the risks to their health and education, we cannot allow this to go unchallenged. Last year in Sujawal, Sindh, I witnessed firsthand the impact of child marriage and the difference Unicef’s work is making. I met inspiring young champions like Anam Nazir, 14, who stopped three marriages in her community,” she said.

“I am proud to lend my voice to this campaign, for all the girls, and sometimes boys too, who suffer behind closed doors because of child marriage.”

Pakistan has the sixth highest number of child brides globally, with an estimated 19 million girls married before age 18. Nearly half become pregnant before their 18th birthday, posing serious health risks for both mother and child. Only 13 per cent of married girls finish secondary school compared to 44pc of unmarried peers, limiting their future opportunities and independence.

“We cannot allow the circumstances a child is born into dictate their entire futures. Child marriage is often fuelled by poverty, but it is also deeply rooted in entrenched gender norms and societal expectations,” said Abdullah Fadil, a Unicef representative in Pakistan.

“We need legal reforms and enforcement, cultural change, and greater investment in adolescent girls — in their rights, their well-being and their potential. How can Pakistan succeed when half the team is left on the sidelines?”

Unicef also welcomed the recent decision by the Islamabad Capital Territory to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18, joining Sindh, and encouraged all remaining provinces and territories to seize the momentum and follow suit.

The campaign video is part of the agency’s broader advocacy work in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, UN Women, and government partners.

These efforts include raising the legal age of marriage to 18 across all provinces; engaging communities through dialogue with parents, caregivers, and religious leaders and communication campaigns like Bolo (Speak up), and promoting girl-led activism and youth champions.

“Miss Qamar is a powerful advocate for children,” said Fadil.

“We are proud to work with her to shine a light on the challenges too many children face, and to accelerate progress toward a future where every child — especially every girl — can learn, grow, and thrive.”

Comments

Taj Ahmad May 29, 2025 05:28pm
Saba Qamar is strong and talented only she can do and fixed this family issue in Pakistan and around the world specially in poor countries. I wish her all the best in her future life and success in the years to come.
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Ayesha May 29, 2025 05:45pm
And what if the girl wants to get married at less age ? Then what ? This is same extremism as west shows towards veil or burqa of a Muslim woman .stop dictating girls and women your petty agendas
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Sunshine May 29, 2025 06:47pm
Way to go Saba. You contribute back to society with your power.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad May 29, 2025 07:18pm
Let the campaign begin.
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Ehsan May 29, 2025 07:24pm
Our regressive Men wouldn’t want that
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usman May 29, 2025 08:36pm
oh yeah the women in the villages can really relate to their white saviour now
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Laila May 29, 2025 08:52pm
Good luck to Saba. She is a sweetheart. In Pakistan the legal age of consent to marriage is 17 years for girls. But because their own parents, especially fathers and male guardians, don't care about the law but rather adhere to tribalistic and ignorant customs, they marry them off at child ages. Again corruption is the issue because such parents are neither reported despite holding public weddings with guests and relatives, and if they were they wouldn't be held accountable because bribery exists. Child marriages is happening even in cities and ven among so-called affluent and educated people and even sometimes among Pakistani diaspora abroad. Until mothers, relatives, guests, attendees, neighbors and we as a society are compicit through our passiveness and silence, this will never end. Consent simply doesn't matter to such parents. A child cannot consent. Another chapter in the daily deprivation of rights of females in Pakistan. In 10 years you can run the same article. As verbatim. Except the UN ambassadors name may change.
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Masood May 29, 2025 08:53pm
Why UNICEF is taking interest in child marriages in Pakistan. All UNICEF programs are just rubbish. UNICEF must pay attention to the Palestinian childrens and also more then 64 violations by Israel. Its a very easy way of spending millions by appointing an artist and make her ambassador for a futile thing.
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OBAID May 30, 2025 01:13am
There is no minimum age in Islam, we should do away with this medieval practice.
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Ron May 30, 2025 03:24am
good luck Saba Gee, great cause..
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wolf May 30, 2025 03:58am
Please we need these laws enforced as well - Pakistan legal system is very weak and has consistently failed in Sindh when it comes to protecting under age Hindu girls forced conversion and susequent marriage.
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Malual Gum May 30, 2025 06:29am
Child marriage has a lot of disadvantages against an individual child's sustainable development. However, earlier child marriage leads to early school dropout high rate. The dropout individuals have low life skills , which affect their health and economic status. Discouraging early child marriage is promoting health and economic status to the individuals as well as for the large nation.
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Sofia May 30, 2025 11:44am
Bravo!
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Ridic May 30, 2025 01:52pm
@Ayesha then she should wait till she's an adult because children shouldn't get married? If she wants to go get tattoos or start driving at the age of 13 will you say that's fine simply because she wants to?
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad May 30, 2025 02:01pm
First and foremast, Unicef must use its influence to stop the barbaric, horrific and inhuman ongoing killings of innocent children and women in the Israeli-attacked, Israeli-invaded, Israeli-held, Israeli-occupied, Israeli-devastated and Israeli-annexed Palestine and its territories based on the centuries old jungle law of "Midht is Right" like Gaza, West Bank, Khan Younus etc. and then talk about child marriages in the world including the "Land of the Pure."
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Laila May 30, 2025 02:14pm
@Masood UN ambassadors are volunteer positions. They are appointed yes but they don't earn. Also while I have not much faith in UN, why should they not focus on child marriages in Pakistan? It is possible to do both.They focus on child marriages in Pakistan AND children in Gaza. In fact their focus on Palestinian children, education etc has been ongoing since 1948. It's more interesting why you don't want focus on child marriages in Pakistan. Child marriages is rape.
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Laila May 30, 2025 02:21pm
@Ayesha Because a girl, who is a minor/a child, can not consent. It's problematic that despite education and information a click away in this digital age, many Pakistanis don't understand the concept of consent. A child does not have the mental or physical ability to understand marriage and its implications. Many girls even die or develop serious health issues and mental trauma due to forced intercourse and subsequent pregnancies and deliveries. A woman denotes an adult. In Pakistan the age of consent to marriage for females is 17. A girl below 17 is a child. Respect our law. Let children be children, go to school and lay with their dolls and enjoy a carefree life. Children may "want" many things. That doesn't mean you give it to them. As parents you protect and care for them and raise them instead of forcing adulthood upon them.
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Sana Bashir May 30, 2025 03:32pm
So they are against early marriage , I too am, but why in Pakistan only why don't they campaign in developed world also where underage girls and boys are in intimate relationships , doesn't it risk their physical and emotional health. If it is harmful for the children then awareness must be raised amongst all the children and parents around the world to avoid making early relationship or early marriages.
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Kiran Jennifer May 30, 2025 07:25pm
Extremely happy to see all these efforts.. Good luck
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Gul May 31, 2025 09:02am
she is strong girl
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Fifty PKR May 31, 2025 12:40pm
Really strong. She's a fighter.
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Fifty PKR May 31, 2025 12:44pm
Age has nothing to do with the maturity of women.
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