The prevalence of early marriage among boys is 34.1 per cent, while the rate is 67.6 per cent for girls and girls are more vulnerable than boys, according to a baseline survey by World Vision Bangladesh, a non-government organisation. On the other hand, household survey data shows that the prevalence of early marriage for boys is 16.6 per cent; the rate is 40.7 per cent for girls.
The average number of reported cases of sexual abuse of children in police stations in the last year was 4.73, while on average, 10.14 cases of domestic violence were reported to police stations of the study area in the last year.
Titled “Child Safety Net Project”, the baseline survey of World Vision Bangladesh was conducted by Participatory Communication Forum from April to June 2012, to determine the level of awareness and the prevalence of child trafficking, abuse, exploitation, available support for the victims, capacity of service providers, among others.
Using a mixed-method study, the baseline survey collected both qualitative and quantitative data from the administration units of south-western upazilas, covering 11 districts, including Barishal, Gopalganj, Bagerhat, Khulna and Jessore, and 22 upazilas and two city corporations under three divisions.
The prevalence of child labour is 29.9 per cent. However, the rate is 31.5 per cent and 38.1 per cent in
disaster and border areas, respectively.
In terms of dowry, 3 per cent of households paid dowry, whereas 0.8 per cent received dowry.
Only 14 per cent of the respondents participated in the decision-making process for the marriage of their elder or younger siblings. More than 80 per cent of the children just participated in the decision-making for shopping.
Only 46.3 per cent members of legal enforcement authorities received training on child rights-related issues and 5.1 per cent families had at least one disabled member in their house, according to the study.
Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and lack of awareness have been identified as the root cause of child exploitation and trafficking.
On the other hand, getting a good bride or groom has been reported by many respondents as the factor leading to child marriage.
Poor implementation of the existing law is another factor encouraging child traffickers. The survey revealed that the traffickers apply a number of tactics, including the lure for a better job and life, proposal of marriage without dowry, fake love affairs using cell phones, high-salary job offers and kidnapping.
Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association, told The Independent that to combat early marriage of girls and boys, the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929, should be amended on an urgent basis.
The government should strengthen mobile courts to stop sexual harassment and it should also form committees within the unions for the sake of security, she suggested.
The country’s political parties should also pledge to stop early marriage in their election manifesto, she said.
“Finally, we have to be aware of our girl children’s future, so that they can be empowered with education,” she added.
Women rights advocate Rasheda K Chowdhury said that the government must ensure security of girl children. “Parents give their children up for early marriage for their children’s security, and hence, awareness from all levels is needed to combat early marriage,” she said.
Tariq Ul Islam, secretary of the women and children affairs ministry, told The Independent that the country has still been facing the problem of early marriage, but the government is making every effort to combat this.
“We are initiating different activities such as awareness campaigns, clubs for teenage boys and girls, etc. to deal with this social evil,” he added.
-With The Independent input
