Statement by H.E. Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh at the Side Event titled
Empowering Girls: A Pathway to Elimination of Violence Against Women and Child Marriage
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am humbled to be here today with so many crusaders that are determined to end violence against women and child marriage by adopting policies and programs that can help empower women and girls and help in changing a social mindset to achieve gender equality. Bangladesh, a leader of women empowerment in cooperation with Plan, a non-profit organizationis proud to organize this side event titled “Empowering Girls: A Pathway to Elimination of Violence Against Women and Child Marriage”.
The Child Marriage is the most prevalent and serious violations of human rights. This issue needs urgent attention especially in South Asia where as per estimates, nearly 46% children are married before the age of 18 years. And globally 1 out of 3 young women aged between 20 and 24 are married before the age of 18. As per report, 12% marriages occur below the age of 12 years. If present trends continue, an estimated 142 million girls will be married by their 18th birthday in this next decade. It is alarming that in every three seconds, a girl below the age of 18 is getting married.
Report further shows that Child Marriage has serious social, economic, cultural negative connotation as well as high-health cost. Girls married early are more likely to have early child bearing, which puts mother's life in danger, causes miscarriage, infant mortality, and malnutrition. Maternal health risks are very high and risks of death in pregnancy and delivery in girls under age 15 is 5 times more for a women in their 20s. Child marriage puts girls in risk and poverty. Girls marrying early has chance of being poor and remaining poor throughout. Such marriage limits their right to education, their right to have a decent life, and endangers health and diminishes her chance and prospect for personal growth and development. They become a social problem.
So why does child marriage happen when we know that the social, economic and human costs are so high? It is because of social norms, patriarchal values, social practice and tradition, poverty, insecurity, parents’ concept of safety, etc. Poor familiesregard a young girl as an economic burden and her marriage as a necessary survival strategy for her family. Fear of sexual violence, insecurity, costs associated with education and living, etc are some apparent reasons for early marriage. Marriage is seen as a preventative measure to protect young girls frompossible danger.
Stopping child marriage is a high priority for the Government of Bangladesh. To this end, the Government has taken a number of initiatives and the main speaker of the event Minister Dr. Shrin Sharmin Chowdhury will talk about them.
In Bangladesh, in order to stop child marriage, we have Child Marriage Restraint Act, where the age for marriage is set for girls 18 years and for boys 21. There are punitive measures also like fine and imprisonment for any persons who performs, or allows or is associated with Child marriage.Birth registrationis a critical step to counter the practice of child marriage as it provides the proof of age of the bride. Such needs capacity building and such helps in enforcing related laws.
We believe education is an agent of change. It is a very useful strategic tool to stop child marriage. There is clear inverse relationship between education and child marriage. On average, women withmore years of education marry at a later age.Considering this emphasis is given on the education of girls in Bangladesh. Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina often remarks that ‘if you educate one man, you educate an individual, and if you educate a female, you educate a family and a society’. No wonder, girl's education has been made free up to higher secondary level. Special stipend for girls has increased their enrollment in schools.Stipend has certain criteria, and one of them is that she cannot marry before the age of 18. Currently a total of 3.9 million students are covered by the stipend programs. We have positive result of this policy. This has enhanced girls’ enrollment and has reduced drop-out rates. More girls are now in schools. Gender parity, a prime target of MDG-3, has been achieved in primary and secondary levels in Bangladesh. Currently, the male-female ratio at secondary level is 47:53. But we need larger coverage and therefore, partners should come up additional financing.
Reduction of poverty and improving economic wellbeing is a necessity for reducing child marriage. Government, therefore, has developed comprehensive social safety net programs and such are working. Poverty has been reduced by more than half and such is encouraging families to allow their children to attend schools and also end child marriage.
Perception and mindset of the people especially parents is important towards ending child marriage. In order to change the mindset, Bangladesh government in collaboration with NGOs, Civil Society and other stakeholders are trying to address this issue through different policy intervention. It has undertaken awareness raising campaign, advocacy programs. Publicity of negative consequence of child marriage is important. Formation of Child marriage prevention committees, Solidarity groups, Capacity building of the community to change the social norm through community engagement are some few important steps taken by the government to change the mindset. Administering adolescent clubs throughout the country especially in rural areas and in remote villages are working well.
Early marriage is a big challenge in Bangladesh. Good news is, we have the political commitment to face this challenge, however, we need global help. Our country-led national programs should be supported by international cooperation from development partners and UN agencies. Unfortunately, funding has been shrinking and is not enough to change the scenario overnight as this is a long standing social practice. It will need time for changing the attitude of the parents, and the mindset of the society. In fact, to end child marriage, laws and regulations may be essential but not enough. We need a social movement and media and communities can play a significant role in this area.
We firmly believe that if we can end the traditional practice of slavery from this planet earth, we shall be able to end the Child marriage as well.
Thank you.