Team Frontier Women Alliance represented the voice of civil society particularly women-led organizations from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the recent consultation on the KP Child Marriage Restraint Bill, organized by Blue Veins under the leadership of Qamar Naseem.

The discussion with policymakers, including notable MPA’s Amna Sardar and Shazia Jadoon and many others , highlighted why this bill has remained delayed for nearly a decade: political hesitation, legal ambiguity, and misinterpretation of advisory religious opinions.

The urgency is clear nearly 60% of girls in KP remain out of school, and child marriage continues to fuel poverty, health risks, and limited economic participation. It is not just a social issue; it is a development and human rights issue.

A critical point raised: opinions by the Council of Islamic Ideology are advisory, while rulings by the Federal Shariat Court carry constitutional weight.

After 10 years, the path forward is simple: move the bill forward. The cost of delay will be paid by girls whose futures remain at risk. The time to act is now.