The curse of child marriage is one that plagues Bangladesh till this day, and it is one that must be put an end to.
Research has shown that girls who get married before they turn 18 are far more likely to drop out of school, be unemployed, and face harassment.
Alternatively, what we see is that a delayed marriage allows for girls to live much healthier and fulfilling lives, lives which go on to affect their families and communities in positive ways, while simultaneously contributing to better health, economic, and social outcomes.
What is saddening is that not only does child marriage continue to be an issue, but that that, over the last 10 years, the rate of child marriage has not decreased, with 60% of girls being married off early.
Knowing this, we cannot in good conscience allow more of our children be swept away in this manner -- we must do more to provide families across the nation with the support necessary to prioritize children and their right to education and employment.
The more we delay in tackling this particular issue, the more harm it causes our girls and our nation. By empowering our girls, we can pave the path for them to acquire necessary skills which contribute greatly to their own and their family’s wellbeing which, in turn, pushes the nation towards progress and progressive values, and boosts the economy through their contributions.
It is high time that the curse of child marriage is eliminated from our national consciousness. We must do everything in our power to ensure that the rate of child marriage comes down so that girls can fulfill their potential. This will only make our nation stronger.
