A girl child was once seen as a burden; some expressed this openly, while others did not. Over the past two decades, there has been a shift in mindset, thanks to development efforts related to education, employment, and overall awareness campaigns.
But when it comes to child marriage, the story is very frustrating. In Bangladesh, child marriage remains alarmingly high, stripping countless girls of their fundamental rights to education, health and childhood.
It ranks among the top 10 countries in the world where the rate remains worryingly high, according to a 2023 report by Unicef. Around 41.6 million girls have fallen victim to child marriage, with 22.4 million married before the age of 15. The child marriage rate stands at 51%, says the UN agency responsible for providing humanitarian and development aid to children globally.
Many experts believe, in a society burdened by poverty and insecurity, many parents see early marriage as a means of financial relief and protection for their daughters.
The growing incidents of child rape, coupled with the dismal rate of conviction, has deepened this fear-driven practice, they observed.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad General Secretary Maleka Banu describes how child marriage harms the physical and mental health of a girl child. “Child marriage is still a huge obstacle. We are not sufficiently concerned about raising awareness on health, especially reproductive health.”
According to Unicef 2020 data, married girls are four times more likely to be out of school than unmarried girls. Among those married as children, five out of every ten gave birth before the age of 18, and eight before the age of 20.
Khushi Kabir, a human rights activist and coordinator of Nijera Kori – a non-government organisation, said, “If girls have children before the age of 18, it takes a serious toll on their bodies.”
Approximately 45% of Bangladesh’s total population is under the age of 18, with 48% being girls, according to the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics, girls account for 53.20% of enrolment in primary and secondary schools – a higher rate than that of boys.
Additionally, the dropout rate among girls has decreased, and the survival rate (the number of girl children who continue school after marriage) has risen from 68.60% in 2010 to 87.80% in 2022.
Maleka Banu said, “We have been able to increase certain opportunities and facilities, which has led to higher enrolment of girls in education. However, we have not paid attention to the quality of the education they are receiving.”
Despite progress in the education sector, social security and health remain major challenges. In rural areas, it is often risky for girl children to attend school. They have to travel long distances, and parents often hesitate to send them to school due to concerns about unwanted behaviour or a sense of fear in the local environment. As a result, many girls are ultimately forced to drop out before completing their studies.
According to experts, unless measures such as the speedy trial of crimes, social awareness, gender-sensitive family education, and the cessation of victim-blaming are effectively implemented, it will not be possible to ensure the real safety of girl children.
Shirin Parveen Haque, who headed the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, said, “Schools should have modules to teach children about gender-based violence and respect for both boys and girls. Without a nationwide awareness campaign, it is not possible to change the mindset of families and society.”
According to recent data from the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, 390 girl children were raped in the first eight months of this year, of which 43 were gang-raped.
Women activists said less than 1% of rape cases are ever brought to justice. Instead, society blames the victims because of their clothing or that she provoked it.
Professor Tania Haque of the Women and Gender Studies Department at Dhaka University stated, “The increase in the number of women in the education system is a good record. But the rate of violence against girl children has also risen. This is not just a crime; it is a social disorder.”
Social welfare and women and children’s affairs adviser, Sharmeen S Murshid, recently said at a programme that the safety of girl children was the government’s top priority. The government is prioritising the safety and wellbeing of girl children, with efforts underway to ensure that support services reach distressed and marginalised girls at the grassroots level in the shortest possible time, she said.
