Says population expert at launching of World Population Report 2013
Eliminating child marriage could reduce 7.5 lakh births in the country every year, said a population expert yesterday. “In Bangladesh, around 17 percent girls get married before becoming 15 while most of them are with two children before reaching 18,” said country director of Population Council Ubaidur Rob. He shared the view during his presentation marking the launching of State of World Population Report 2013. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Bangladesh organised the ceremony in the capital’s Sonargaon Hotel.
This year the report focuses an important and emerging global concern — “Motherhood in Childhood: Facing the challenges of adolescent pregnancy”.
Secretary of the health and family welfare ministry MM Neaz Uddin and officer-in-charge of UNFPA Bangladesh Pornchai Suchitta also spoke on the occasion.
About 58 percent of adolescents begin childbearing by the age of 19, Ubaidur said, adding that in Bangladesh, about 194 mothers in every one lakh pregnant die giving birth. Most of them are adolescents.
There are about 580 million adolescent girls in the world. Four out of five of them live in developing countries. Bangladesh ranks third in the world in terms of adolescent pregnancy, and first in Asia.
Ubaidur said rate of child marriage is high in Khulna, Rangpur and Rajshahi regions due to social insecurity while Sylhet comparatively is in a better position, as girls in this region get married at 18.
Pornchai Suchitta said adolescents comprise about half of the youth population of Bangladesh. “Adolescence is a critical time for many people and the skills acquired during this period can set up the foundation of rest of their lives,” he said.
He said while Bangladesh has made great stride in addressing many issues like malnourishment and child labour, adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights must be given more attention.
Motherhood in childhood is a huge global problem, especially in developing countries, where every year 7.3 million girls under 18 give birth, says the report released by UNFPA.
Of these 7.3 million births, 2 million are to girls 14 or younger, who suffer the gravest long-term health and social consequences from pregnancy, including high rates of maternal death and obstetric fistula.
According to the report, early pregnancy takes a toll on a girl’s health, education and rights. It also prevents her from realising her potential and adversely impacts the baby.
-With UNB/The Daily Star input
