The Centre for Social Justice and the National Commission on the Rights of Child co-hosted a focused consultation on forced conversions, highlighting the urgent need for legal safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals, especially minors and women. Legal experts, civil society representatives and human rights advocates took part in the discussions to examine how legislation and policy can better uphold freedom of religion and belief for all citizens in Pakistan.
Member Sindh for Minorities at the NCRC, Pirbhu Satyani, drew attention to the particular vulnerabilities faced by children from religious minority communities and outlined the Commission’s ongoing efforts to address child rights violations. He emphasised the necessity of standardising the age of marriage at 18 across the country and called for clear legal frameworks to prevent forced marriages and conversions of minors.
Participants explored a range of legislative and policy measures aimed at preventing forced conversions and strengthening protections for survivors. Discussions highlighted the importance of effective enforcement, accessible legal remedies for victims, and coordinated support services to ensure that legal safeguards translate into meaningful protection on the ground.
Speakers urged policymakers to prioritise child protection and to consider reforms that reconcile freedom of religion and belief with robust safeguards for the rights of minors and women. The consultation underlined a shared commitment among civil society, legal practitioners and rights advocates to press for concrete legal changes that protect those most at risk of forced conversions.
