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<p>We welcome the policy brief by Pakistan's National Commission on the Rights of
the Child on forced conversions published on 7 December. The UK Government strongly
condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious
minorities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns on these issues with the Government
of Pakistan. Most recently, I raised our human rights concerns, including Freedom
of Religion or Belief, with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights on 16 November. In
addition, I raised our concerns about child, early and forced marriage and forced
conversion of women and girls from minority religious communities, with Pakistan's
Minister for Human Rights on 19 October.</p><p>Through the UK's development support,
we are encouraging policy reform at federal and provincial level to strengthen child
protection laws in order to prevent child marriage. In addition, 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.</p>
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