Webinar on Child Early and Forced Marriages (CEFM) and COVID-19
Challenges of dealing with CEFM during humanitarian crisis

03:30 pm (PKT) to 06:00 pm (PKT)
2nd October 2020

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89033673244?pwd=Q09ldE1FazhrT1ZKc2RiVVZ3Ym1ydz09

Meeting ID: 890 3367 3244
Passcode: 902547

About the webinar:
This webinar is being held as part of the South Asian Virtual Conference on Prevention of Forced and Early Marriages during and post COVID-19.

Background:
Shirakat- Partnership for Development with the support MenEngage Alliance global and South Asia is organizing a digital conference on ‘Prevention of Forced and Early Marriages during and post COVID-19’. Child, early, and forced marriage are forms of GBV and violations of human rights. When girls marry young they often drop out of school, experience poor health outcomes, are less economically and agriculturally productive, thus restrain them to use their full potential for their wellbeing. Additionally, poverty, food insecurity, conflict and crisis, cultural traditions, and discrimination towards girls cause a child and forced marriages.

It has been reported in various researches that the ratio of CEFM surge in situations of crisis such as disasters, conflict, and pandemics. Similarly, the COVID-19 is likely to cause an increase in the number of early and forced marriages due to the economic recession and a significant decrease in economic opportunities and loss of employment. According to an estimate by UNICEF and UNWOMEN, coronavirus could put an extra 04 million girls at risk of early and forced marriage. The aim of this digital Conference is to develop strategies and deliberate on engaging men and boys to prevent Child Early and Forced Marriages in the humanitarian crisis in South Asia. The conference also aims to unpack the harmful masculinities which are hindering to curb the social evil early and forced marriages. Experts from other South Asian Countries and Pakistan will be invited digitally to share their perspectives, experiences, and help in developing the discourse on engaging men is pivotal to curtail this jeopardy.

Objectives of the webinar:
1. To preview the state of early and forced marriages in South Asia during COVID-19,
2. To identify factors linked to the outbreak of COVID-19 leading to an increase in early and forced marriages,
3. To deliberate on challenges of dealing with CEFM during the humanitarian crisis