Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said there has been a decline in the rate of child marriages in Bangladesh.
The premier made the statement while delivering her speech at the high level session of the Girls Summit 2014 at Walworth Academy in Shorncliffe Road of London on Tuesday afternoon.
She said: “The rate of child marriages is declining in Bangladesh as the social acceptance of early marriage is gradually decreasing.”
“Our government has taken a number of measures to reduce the rate of child marriages in the country and hopefully we will be able to stop early marriages within a very short time.”
Emphasising on the necessity of social awareness over the issue, she said: “We have to create awareness against child marriages among people. As the parents consider early marriages as one kind of social security for their girls, they willingly arrange early marriages for their minor girls.”
“But, the situation has changed in our country and the government will soon be successful to stop this by implementing projects on women empowerment.”
Among others, Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl and activist, who survived a shooting by Taliban insurgents, was present in the session.