Saba Qamar Leads UNICEF’s Campaign Against Child Marriage in Pakistan

UNICEF has launched a video campaign featuring Saba Qamar, its National Ambassador for Child Rights, to raise awareness about the urgent need to end child marriage in Pakistan.

Key Highlights:
Saba Qamar’s Advocacy: She met young activists like Anam Nazir, 14, who successfully stopped three child marriages in her community.

Pakistan’s Child Marriage Crisis: The country ranks sixth globally in child brides, with 19 million girls married before age 18.

Health & Education Impact: Nearly half of married girls become pregnant before adulthood, and only 13% complete secondary education, compared to 44% of unmarried peers.

Legal Reforms: UNICEF welcomed Islamabad’s decision to raise the minimum marriage age to 18, urging other provinces to follow suit.

UNICEF’s Broader Efforts:
Raising the legal marriage age to 18 across all provinces.

Community engagement through dialogues with parents, caregivers, and religious leaders.

Promoting girl-led activism and empowering youth champions.