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<p>The UK welcomes the decision by the Pakistan Senate to pass the Child Marriage
Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2019.</p><p>The UK provided £282 million to Pakistan for
the financial year 2018-19 under the AAWAZ I: Voice and Accountability Programme to
promote the rights of children, youth and women. Of this, around £400,000 was spent
on preventing forced and early marriages. The Department For International Development
(DFID) is considering ways in which UK aid could be used to facilitate the effective
implementation of the legislation once the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill
is passed by the National Assembly, working with government institutions and communities
to help end child marriage. DFID has set aside funding for interventions in support
of ending child marriage under its AAWAZ II programme.</p><p>We will continue to urge
the Government of Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its
human rights obligations to vulnerable groups, including women and girls, and to uphold
the rule of law.</p>
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