What a coincidence!!!!
Yesterday, I was discussing the topic of marriage with my wife, particularly about a girl of a young age who recently appeared for her FSc exams.
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I explained to my wife that it's not appropriate to marry a girl at such a young age when she is not yet mature.
If she has children in the future, how will she manage them? Her age will be barely 18 years old, which will be quite challenging.
My wife said that girls mature faster than boys. She also mentioned that according to our religion and Pakistani law, any sane and adult person can get married, and there's nothing wrong with it.
This post is my entry to Weekly featured content in the #Hivelearners community. The topic is to write about “The ideal adult age” .What age is considered the ideal adult in our country? Age should be increase or decrease?
Legal and Cultural Perspectives on Youth and Adulthood:
According to Pakistani law, youth begins at the age of 18. Although the ability to make decisions independently depends on an individual's maturity level. Generally, in our society, those who are considered youth are mature and capable of making sensible decisions. Children under the age of 5 are usually unable to make decisions for themselves. Whereas children between the ages of 5 and 12 only have the decision to determine what they want to become when they grow up.
Some individuals may options to stay minors until they reach the age of 18, depending on their level of independence at that point.
Questioning the Ideal Adult Age: Considerations and Contradictions
But the question in my mind is If boys or girls aren't mature enough, why consider them as adults? It does seem irresponsible to give them the rights and responsibilities of adults, such as voting or making important decisions for the country. It would be better to let them express their opinions about government policies when they're older and wiser, and better understand how things work.
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But If we don't consider an 18-year-old as mature enough, why do we grant them the right to vote or issue them a driving license? These decisions seem contradictory if we believe they lack the maturity to make responsible choices.
The point being made is that giving immature kids a license to drive is highly irresponsible.
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While a single vote may not cause harm, an accident resulting from immature driving could lead to serious injury or even death for the driver and others on the road.
Societal Expectations and Gender Dynamics in Pakistani Law
There's suspicion that such laws exist because the government and some parts of society still expect Pakistani males to be the primary breadwinners of the family. This expectation may influence laws regarding driving age and other responsibilities.
But on the contrary, the growing unease in the economy and society of every country sometimes forces us to think that perhaps this law was made for our betterment. If an 18-year-old child does not get an identity card or a license, they will not be able to earn a living for their family. Our country has a large population, 69% of which is under 30 years of age.
In such circumstances, a boy or girl whose family's financial matters are not in good shape observes all these situations. They mature and start making decisions earlier than their time. In my opinion, the situation in our country makes an 18 to 20-year-old person mature and capable of making decisions earlier than usual.
Marriage and Maturity:
I understand that getting married at the age of 18 can be the basis of many problems, especially when your education is incomplete and you're still not very adept at understanding the principles and circumstances of life. At this age, rushing into marriage can force you to face many challenges and responsibilities. It's better for a person to focus on stabilizing their life and advancing towards their goals by prioritizing their education and career first. Giving marriage decisions some time and thinking about them more wisely can be better.
I hope you liked this post. I'll be waiting for your feedback on this topic. Thank you for reading.
Read my previous blogs:
@jahanzaibanjum/advancing-boundaries-science-meets-genetic
@jahanzaibanjum/privacy-vs-personalization-the-online
@jahanzaibanjum/life-s-risks-and-the
