DOMESTIC violence in Pakistan is widespread and indicative of deep gender inequalities and socioeconomic instabilities that are, in turn, exacerbated by unemployment and community disorder. Collectively, these factors contribute to the extensive state of psychological distress across communities. The issue of child marriage has aggravated the crisis: some 21 per cent of Pakistani girls are married off before the age of 18, thanks to poverty, dire education deficiency, and conservative cultural norms.

Child marriage is especially common in Pakistan’s rural areas. It contributes to a cycle of domestic violence, one of the top factors responsible for psychological harm in the country. While laws like the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act of 2014 are a step in the right direction, enforcing the rules and changing societal mindsets are huge challenges.

Culture’s authoritarian stamp is evident in other reprehensible practices as well. For example, in 2023, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported nearly 400 ‘honour’ killings in the preceding year. However, some NGOs and international agencies estimate that the actual number each year could be as high as 1,000.

The discrepancy in figures highlights the........

© Dawn