Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the capacity of legal mechanisms in Pakistan to handle cases of victims of child, early and forced marriage; and if not, what plans they have to do so.

The UK Government is deeply concerned by child, early and forced marriage in Pakistan. Our AAWAZ II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme supports reforming the legal framework and building state capacity for child protection. We have recently launched analyses of Child Marriage in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in order to support development of a national child marriage restraint policy framework.

AAWAZ II is also working with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to increase levels of birth registration of children, a National Child Labour Survey and development of Child Protection Case Management and Referral Systems at provincial level. UK's support is contributing to laying the foundation of much stronger and sustainable child protection systems.

We are also working with the Government of Pakistan to strengthen and improve Pakistan's police and judicial systems. The UK's Strengthening Rule of Law in Pakistan programme aims to increase public confidence and trust in the Rule of Law. It focuses on delivering outputs that improve the justice system for victims, witnesses and offenders, including vulnerable women and girls.