New research finds child marriage rate is declining!

Child marriage in Bangladesh dropped to 43% from 62.3% in the last twenty years, a new research by the Washington-based think tank International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) finds.  

The IFPRI findings come at a time when the government endorsed a draft law on Nov 24 prohibiting marriages of girls under 18 but keeping a provision of relaxing the age bar in “special cases”. The move has raised contradiction and criticism from women and rights’ bodies.

However, the rate of marriage between 15 and 18 (minimum marriage age for girls) is still high at nearly 38% while the marriages of girls under 15 have declined remarkably.

“Bangladesh’s enabling policy environment and national commitment have brought about dramatic improvements in nutrition, food security, poverty, and women’s empowerment. However, early child marriage still presents unique social, economic, and political challenges that stifle development progress in Bangladesh,” observes the research note.

It also notes, “The power imbalance between young brides and their husbands make girls more susceptible to domestic violence and other risks. Overall, early marriage keeps young brides and their children from reaching their full physical, economic, and social potential.”

To improve nutrition for the most vulnerable, especially mothers and children and to address various complementary human development goals, it is essential to break the intergenerational cycle of early child marriage, added the IFPRI study.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/child-marriage-declines-1320136