News Desk
Washington, D.C. — June 11, 2025:
A congressional briefing held in Washington, D.C. has drawn attention to the ongoing abuse of minority girls in Pakistan, Egypt, and Iraq. The event was organized by human rights groups including Jubilee Campaign, Coptic Solidarity, and the Yazidi Canadian Association. Key speakers included Dr. Stephen Schneck, Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), along with Congressmen Jim McGovern and Brad Sherman.
The speakers highlighted serious issues such as forced religious conversions, child marriage, and sexual violence against girls from Christian, Hindu, and Yazidi communities. They stressed the urgent need for the U.S. government to take action to support the victims and pressure the responsible governments.
Joseph Janssen, a representative from the Jubilee Campaign Netherlands, focused on the situation in Pakistan. He reported that between 1,000 and 2,000 Christian and Hindu girls are abducted each year. Many are forcibly converted to Islam and married to their abductors under Sharia law. Janssen said that law enforcement officials and courts often ignore these crimes or actively support the perpetrators.
He shared specific cases of abuse, including that of a 13-year-old girl who was kidnapped, raped, and denied return to her family despite legal petitions. Another girl, also a minor, was allegedly abused in a government-run shelter where her abductor had access to her at night. Janssen said even police officers and judges have made threats against those trying to help the victims.
The briefing also raised concerns about the treatment of people who leave Islam in Pakistan. Janssen said that former Muslims cannot legally change their religion in official records. As a result, many live without identity documents and cannot access healthcare, education, or marriage rights.
At the end of the session, Jubilee Campaign and its partners presented several recommendations to the U.S. government. These include linking U.S. aid to Pakistan with clear progress on human rights, imposing visa bans on officials who support or ignore abuses, and ensuring that all forced or underage marriages are automatically annulled. They also called for the inclusion of religious minorities in the staff of women’s shelters and the legal right for individuals to change their religion in government records.
The speakers concluded by emphasizing that these are not just isolated incidents, but part of a larger pattern of abuse. They urged the U.S. and the international community to act quickly and decisively to protect vulnerable girls and ensure justice for victims.