PAKISTAN / CHILD MARRIAGE

UNICEF is supporting efforts to prevent child marriage in Sindh Province Pakistan. The agency says there is an increase in the number of families displaced by floods marrying off their young daughters to reduce their financial burden. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:42
• Production Date: 8 December 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: EDUCATION; WOMEN'S RIGHTS; HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: PAKISTAN
• MAMS Id: U111208d

Description

STORY: PAKISTAN / CHILD MARRIAGE
TRT: 2.42
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: URDU / SINDHI

DATELINE: 29 OCTOBER 2011, BADIN DISTRICT, SINDH PROVINCE, PAKISTAN

Shotlist

1. Close up, women attending health session at UNICEF supported PLaCES (Protective Learning and Community Emergency Services) center
2. Close up, woman talking to the Coordinator at the PLaCES center
3. Pan left, women sitting in a tent attending a health session
4. SOUNDBITE (Sindhi) Shama Ishaq, 26 years old:
“When I was 12 years old, my mother had me engaged and married off. I wanted to study but my mother did not allow me to. My father had already died, so she gave me away to my husband. I was very young when I had my first child. My children are always sick. I have one boy and two girls. I’m weak and helpless. One of my daughters died, and I have been sick since my last daughter was born.”
5. Med shot, Shama Ishaq sitting in the tent with her children
6. Wide shot, women walking into a UNICEF tent - ‘PLaCES’ for women and children
7. Pan left, from women listening to the health coordinator during session
8. Med shot, boy wearing UNICEF t-shirt
9. Pan right, from children playing Frisbee to women and children at UNICEF tent
10. Med shot, boys playing Frisbee
11. Close up, girl skipping
12. Med shot, girl skipping rope in front of ‘PLaCES’ tent
13. Med shot, Coordinator at PLaCES speaking to women during the health session, talking about the disadvantages of early marriage and pregnancies
14. Pan right, posters inside the PLaCES tent
15. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Shahida Abdul Aziz, Coordinator, Protective Learning and Community Emergency Services (PLaCES):
“If a girl is married at a very young age then there are a lot of complications. Firstly, if she gets pregnant soon after marriage, then she loses weight, becomes under-nourished and suffers physically. She might not be able to take care of her child. In many cases, the children born to extremely young mothers are abnormal.”
16. Close up, Salma Altaf Hussain sitting in tent with her baby
17. Med shot, Salma amongst other women attending the health session on consequences of early marriage and pregnancies
18. SOUNDBITE (Sindhi) Salma Altaf Hussain, 17 years old:
“I got married at a very young age, but I will get my children married only when are mature and ready. I will first provide them with an education. It’s important to teach them how to read and write.”
19. Close up, women listening to Coordinator
20. Med shot, health workers speaking to women attending session
21. Med shot, women with children at the PLaCES session
22. Close shot, women listening to Coordinator at PLaCES
23. Med shot, woman holding her baby, listening to the Coordinator at PLaCES

Storyline

These young mothers regret the day they were married.

SOUNDBITE (Sindhi) Shama Ishaq, 26 years old:
“When I was 12 years old, my mother had me engaged and married off. I wanted to study but my mother did not allow me to. My father had already died, so she gave me away to my husband. I was very young when I had my first child. My children are always sick. I have one boy and two girls. I’m weak and helpless. One of my daughters died, and I have been sick since my last daughter was born.”

Forced out of schools and thrown into wedlock even before their bodies were ready,
Shama is now suffering from serious health complications due to early motherhood.

At this UNICEF supported emergency facility, women like her get a chance to share their stories. The organization has set up over 200 similar structures in the flood-affected areas of the Sindh Province.

Millions of people here are still grappling with the aftermath of the devastation.

Displaced by the floods and without any income, many families are now marrying off their young daughters to reduce their financial burden.

But at these centers, the staff is working to raise awareness about the dangers of this tradition.

SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Shahida Abdul Aziz, Coordinator, Protective Learning and Community Emergency Services (PLaCES):
“If a girl is married at a very young age then there are a lot of complications. Firstly, if she gets pregnant soon after marriage, then she loses weight, becomes under-nourished and suffers physically. She might not be able to take care of her child. In many cases, the children born to extremely young mothers are abnormal.”

Seventeen-year-old Salma Hussain has been attending sessions regularly. She says she will make sure that her children don’t suffer from the same fate.

SOUNDBITE (Sindhi) Salma Altaf Hussain, 17 years old:
“I got married at a very young age, but I will get my children married only when are mature and ready. I will first provide them with an education. It’s important to teach them how to read and write.”

For women and children affected by the floods, this center is not just a place where they get to learn about crucial issues affecting their lives.

It’s a safe haven, away from the turmoil and hopelessness that the furious waters left behind.