Imagine five-year-olds facing the prospect of marriage. Fresh data from the UK home office indicates that this crisis is brewing in Britain as well.&nbsp;According to data obtained through freedom of information requests, at least hundred children aged 12 or under were referred to UK's forced marriage unit from 2021 to 2025.&nbsp;This government unit provides advice and support to potential victims of forced marriage.&nbsp;What is startling is that this list included 27 children aged five or below.&nbsp;It is worth noting that forcing someone to marry in UK carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.&nbsp;In 2023, the legal age of marriage in England and Wales was raised from 16 to 18.&nbsp;While every referral to the forced marriage unit does not imply a forced marriage has taken place, the cases are on the rise.&nbsp;According to UK home office, 406 cases were referred to this unit in 2025, marking a 69% yearly increase in the number of cases.&nbsp;This is not all.&nbsp;&nbsp;

40% of these cases involved victims aged 17 and below. Pakistan was the destination of forced marriage in 165 of these cases. This drew a fiery reaction from Nigel Farage's party, who largely held the Conservative Party's tenure in power responsible for a rise in forced marriage cases. Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf claimed, "This sudden rise in forced marriages tracks almost perfectly with the Boris wave, which saw the Tories import 4 million new people into the UK." He added that Tories won't be forgiven for this betrayal. Reacting to this, UK's home office asserted that the problem of forced marriage was not specific to one country, religion or culture. Activists though found the data deeply disturbing and warned that actual forced marriage figures are likely to be higher as many victims cannot even reach out to the authorities.

According to data obtained through freedom of information requests, at least hundred children aged 12 or under were referred to UK's forced marriage unit from 2021 to 2025. This government unit provides advice and support to potential victims of forced marriage.

Imagine five-year-olds facing the prospect of marriage. Fresh data from the UK home office indicates that this crisis is brewing in Britain as well. According to data obtained through freedom of information requests, at least hundred children aged 12 or under were referred to UK's forced marriage unit from 2021 to 2025. This government unit provides advice and support to potential victims of forced marriage. What is startling is that this list included 27 children aged five or below. It is worth noting that forcing someone to marry in UK carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison. In 2023, the legal age of marriage in England and Wales was raised from 16 to 18. While every referral to the forced marriage unit does not imply a forced marriage has taken place, the cases are on the rise. According to UK home office, 406 cases were referred to this unit in 2025, marking a 69% yearly increase in the number of cases. This is not all.

According to data obtained through freedom of information requests, at least hundred children aged 12 or under were referred to UK's forced marriage unit from 2021 to 2025. This government unit provides advice and support to potential victims of forced marriage.

Over 100 children aged 12 & below in UK may have been forced into marriage | Gravitas

The European Parliament on Thursday (Jul 9) adopted a resolution condemning the widespread abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of young girls in Pakistan. Calling on the South Asian nation to strengthen protections of girls belonging to religious minorities, the resolution called on Islamabad to overhaul its legal system. This comes after a 13-year-old Christian girl was forced into marriage with her abductor.<h2>A crisis Pakistan is ignoring</h2>In a resolution passed on Thursday, EU lawmakers warned that the abduction and forced conversion of young minority girls in the country has turned into an ongoing crisis that officials are largely ignoring.At the centre of the international backlash is the case of Maria Shahbaz. She was just 13 when she was taken from her home in July 2025, forced to convert to Islam, and married off to a 30-year-old man. Her family fought the marriage in court, but Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court officially upheld the union this past March, despite school and birth records proving she was a minor. Right now, Maria remains in her abductor's custody while her parents try to pull together a final legal appeal.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/weapon-of-war-india-at-un-condemns-conflict-related-sexual-violence-highlights-role-of-women-peacekeepers-1783645114228">'Weapon of war': India at UN condemns conflict-related sexual violence, highlights role of women peacekeepers</a>European officials say Maria's story is just the tip of the iceberg. "MEPs are calling for her to have access to legal representation, her family, and psychological support. They condemn similar abuses committed against underage girls belonging to religious minorities, underlining that her case is emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan".<h2>Hindu, Christian girls targeted in Pakistan</h2>The resolution highlighted United Nations data from 2025 showing that roughly 75 per cent of the women and girls forced into these conversions are Hindu, while the remaining 25 per cent are Christian.Lawmakers demanded that Pakistan must come up with a "national mechanism," a nationwide tracking system, so families can actually report abductions without being turned away by local police. Crucially, they are calling for the men behind these marriages to be prosecuted instead of being let off the hook by local magistrates.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/suspected-terror-plot-targeting-ayodhya-ram-temple-uncovered-man-with-alleged-pakistan-links-arrested-in-karnataka-1782359020050">Terror plot targeting Ayodhya Ram Temple foiled; UP man with alleged Pakistan links arrested in Karnataka</a>"The perpetrators must be prosecuted and Pakistan's judicial framework strengthened, they add, and abducted girls must be able to return safely," the resolution said.Advocacy groups like Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) have been pushing the case for months. Highlighting Maria's case, the group noted that this was not an isolated incident but a well-documented pattern. They say local courts frequently accept falsified statements from abductors claiming the girls converted entirely on their own free will.&nbsp;

The European Parliament has condemned Pakistan over the widespread abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Hindu and Christian girls, calling Maria Shahbaz's case emblematic of a broader human rights crisis. The resolution urges Islamabad to overhaul its legal system.

The European Parliament on Thursday (Jul 9) adopted a resolution condemning the widespread abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of young girls in Pakistan. Calling on the South Asian nation to strengthen protections of girls belonging to religious minorities, the resolution called on Islamabad to overhaul its legal system. This comes after a 13-year-old Christian girl was forced into marriage with her abductor. A crisis Pakistan is ignoring In a resolution passed on Thursday, EU lawmakers warned that the abduction and forced conversion of young minority girls in the country has turned into an ongoing crisis that officials are largely ignoring. At the centre of the international backlash is the case of Maria Shahbaz. She was just 13 when she was taken from her home in July 2025, forced to convert to Islam, and married off to a 30-year-old man. Her family fought the marriage in court, but Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court officially upheld the union this past March, despite school and birth records proving she was a minor. Right now, Maria remains in her abductor's custody while her parents try to pull together a final legal appeal. Also read | 'Weapon of war': India at UN condemns conflict-related sexual violence, highlights role of women peacekeepers European officials say Maria's story is just the tip of the iceberg. "MEPs are calling for her to have access to legal representation, her family, and psychological support. They condemn similar abuses committed against underage girls belonging to religious minorities, underlining that her case is emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan". Hindu, Christian girls targeted in Pakistan The resolution highlighted United Nations data from 2025 showing that roughly 75 per cent of the women and girls forced into these conversions are Hindu, while the remaining 25 per cent are Christian. Lawmakers demanded that Pakistan must come up with a "national mechanism," a nationwide tracking system, so families can actually report abductions without being turned away by local police. Crucially, they are calling for the men behind these marriages to be prosecuted instead of being let off the hook by local magistrates. Also read | Terror plot targeting Ayodhya Ram Temple foiled; UP man with alleged Pakistan links arrested in Karnataka "The perpetrators must be prosecuted and Pakistan's judicial framework strengthened, they add, and abducted girls must be able to return safely," the resolution said. Advocacy groups like Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) have been pushing the case for months. Highlighting Maria's case, the group noted that this was not an isolated incident but a well-documented pattern. They say local courts frequently accept falsified statements from abductors claiming the girls converted entirely on their own free will.

The European Parliament has condemned Pakistan over the widespread abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Hindu and Christian girls, calling Maria Shahbaz's case emblematic of a broader human rights crisis. The resolution urges Islamabad to overhaul its legal system.

EU Parliament slams Pakistan over forced marriages after 13-year-old girl's custody given to her rapist

Another tragedy is unfolding daily in Pakistan of forced conversion of minor Hindu girls.

In the last 26 days, three minor girls have been abducted and converted into Islam in the country.&nbsp;

The name of these girls are: Arti Meghwar, Reena Meghwar and Kavita Bai.

The families of these girls are fighting for justice, but the Pakistani judiciary couldn't be bothered less.

Let us begin with the story of Kavita, a 13-year-old&nbsp;who was kidnapped on March 8 from her home.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/protests-grow-in-pakistan-over-abduction-forced-conversion-of-catholic-teen-338958">Protests grow in Pakistan over abduction, forced conversion of Catholic teen</a>

Kavita's father said that five men dragged his daughter from their home and fled.

She was then brought before a cleric who held a public conversion ceremony.

Some old men gathered around her and formed a circle and read some Islamic prayers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-being-a-hindu-in-pakistan-369808">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-being-a-hindu-in-pakistan-369808/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The images are disturbing, to say the least.

Pakistan authorities said that the girl claims to be over 18-years-old and has converted of her own free will.

This is an excuse that we hear over and over and over again.

Every time a minor girl is converted, Pakistan says she did so willfully.

<h2>Matter of free will!</h2>

In August 2020, a 14-year-old Christian girl Maria Shahbaz was abducted and married in a similar fashion.

The court called it a matter of free will.&nbsp;

In October 2020, a 13-year-old Christian girl Arzoo Raja was abducted in broad daylight, converted to Islam and then married to her abductor.

The Pakistan judiciary again called it a matter of free will.&nbsp;

When the court hearing of Arzoo's case was held in Karachi, her mother was not even allowed inside the courtroom.

She begged and cried as the court made a mockery of the law.

The above cases make it clear that Pakistan's judiciary, lawmakers, government, clerics and their followers, all seem to be hand in glove in tormenting the minorities of their country. 
&nbsp;

Another tragedy is unfolding daily in Pakistan of forced conversion of minor Hindu girls. In the last 26 days, three minor girls have been abducted and converted into Islam in the country.

Another tragedy is unfolding daily in Pakistan of forced conversion of minor Hindu girls. In the last 26 days, three minor girls have been abducted and converted into Islam in the country. The name of these girls are: Arti Meghwar, Reena Meghwar and Kavita Bai. The families of these girls are fighting for justice, but the Pakistani judiciary couldn't be bothered less. Let us begin with the story of Kavita, a 13-year-old who was kidnapped on March 8 from her home. Also read | Protests grow in Pakistan over abduction, forced conversion of Catholic teen Kavita's father said that five men dragged his daughter from their home and fled. She was then brought before a cleric who held a public conversion ceremony. Some old men gathered around her and formed a circle and read some Islamic prayers. WATCH | The images are disturbing, to say the least. Pakistan authorities said that the girl claims to be over 18-years-old and has converted of her own free will. This is an excuse that we hear over and over and over again. Every time a minor girl is converted, Pakistan says she did so willfully. Matter of free will! In August 2020, a 14-year-old Christian girl Maria Shahbaz was abducted and married in a similar fashion. The court called it a matter of free will. In October 2020, a 13-year-old Christian girl Arzoo Raja was abducted in broad daylight, converted to Islam and then married to her abductor. The Pakistan judiciary again called it a matter of free will. When the court hearing of Arzoo's case was held in Karachi, her mother was not even allowed inside the courtroom. She begged and cried as the court made a mockery of the law. The above cases make it clear that Pakistan's judiciary, lawmakers, government, clerics and their followers, all seem to be hand in glove in tormenting the minorities of their country.

How minorities in Pakistan continue to suffer from forced conversions, marriages

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forced marriages

Over 100 children aged 12 & below in UK may have been forced into marriage | Gravitas

EU Parliament blasts Pakistan over forced conversion of Hindu, Christian girls

How minorities in Pakistan continue to suffer from forced conversions, marriages