Breaking the Chains of Child and Forced Marriage

Child marriage and forced marriage remain among the most persistent social and human rights challenges in Bangladesh. Despite decades of legal and policy interventions, thousands of girls are still married before reaching adulthood every year, particularly in rural areas. The legal age of marriage is 18 for women and 21 for men, and the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 criminalises arranging or facilitating such unions. Yet these laws have not been able to fully eliminate the practice. The key question remains: why does child marriage continue despite clear legal prohibition? The answer lies in a complex combination of poverty, entrenched social norms, gender inequality, weak enforcement, limited education, insecurity, inadequate monitoring, insufficient political commitment, and deep-rooted human rights challenges.

From a human rights perspective, child marriage is a serious violation of the rights of girls, including the right to education, health, protection, dignity and freedom of choice. It directly contradicts international human rights frameworks such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. It deprives girls of childhood and forces them into adult responsibilities before they are physically and emotionally ready.

Bangladesh remains among the countries most affected by child marriage. According to UNICEF, it has one of the highest prevalence rates in Asia and ranks eighth in the world. Around 51 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 were married before 18. This is not only a private or cultural issue but a structural human rights crisis affecting national development, gender equality and public health.

Child and forced marriage continue despite laws and government efforts. The issue is not merely a policy gap but a deeper structural and rights-based failure. Weak enforcement allows violations to go unpunished, while poverty and economic insecurity push families towards early marriage. Harmful social norms, lack of awareness and administrative weaknesses such as poor birth registration systems further enable the practice. Climate disasters and economic shocks also increase vulnerability, especially among girls in rural and marginalised communities.

Gender inequality remains a central driver. In many communities, girls are still seen as economic burdens rather than rights bearing individuals. This results in lower investment in their education and health, limiting their agency and life choices. From a child protection perspective, early marriage exposes girls to domestic violence, marital abuse, early pregnancy, maternal health risks, and long-term psychological trauma.

International experience clearly shows that child marriage can be significantly reduced through strong legal enforcement, education and social transformation. Countries such as Bangladesh’s regional peers like Nepal and India have reduced child marriage rates in specific states through community-based monitoring, girls’ education incentives and strict enforcement of marriage registration laws. Ethiopia has achieved substantial reductions through strong local engagement, school retention programmes for girls, and coordinated action with religious leaders. In Kenya, conditional cash transfer programmes for school attendance have helped delay marriage by reducing the economic burden on families. Indonesia has strengthened legal frameworks and raised awareness through nationwide campaigns involving religious institutions. These examples demonstrate that when governments combine law enforcement with education, economic support and community mobilisation, child marriage rates decline significantly.

In short, the government alone cannot solve this issue. Ending child and forced marriage requires stronger enforcement of laws, genuine political commitment, improved access to quality education, comprehensive protection of girls’ rights, and economic support for vulnerable families. Equally important is a cultural and social transformation that redefines the value and dignity of girls in society.

Poverty remains one of the strongest drivers of early marriage. Families facing financial hardship often view marriage as a coping strategy. Dowry practices also reinforce the trend, as younger brides are considered less costly. Social traditions and community pressure continue to normalise child marriage in many areas. Gender discrimination and harmful stereotypes further sustain the practice, while fear of social stigma often overrides legal awareness. Education is the most powerful protective factor. Girls who remain in school are far less likely to marry early. However, poverty, distance, safety concerns and lack of facilities continue to force many girls out of education. Even with legal frameworks in place, enforcement remains weak. Birth registration gaps, informal marriage practices and limited monitoring reduce the effectiveness of laws. Bangladesh is also highly climate vulnerable. Disasters such as floods and cyclones increase economic pressure, often making early marriage appear as a survival option for struggling families.

The economic and social costs are significant. Child marriage reduces women’s participation in the workforce, increases health risks and lowers national productivity. The World Bank has shown that ending child marriage could generate substantial economic gains through improved education and labour participation.

The government has introduced important measures, including the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 and national action plans in partnership with international organisations. However, implementation gaps remain the key challenge. Effective solutions require a comprehensive rights-based approach. This includes strengthening legal enforcement, ensuring universal digital birth registration, expanding girls’ secondary education, providing financial incentives to families, creating safe school environments and empowering communities through awareness of girls’ rights.

Child and forced marriage persist not because of absence of laws, but because of structural inequality and weak implementation. Global experience proves that change is possible when governments act decisively with communities, civil society and international partners. Protecting the rights, dignity and freedom of girls is not only a moral and legal obligation but also essential for achieving sustainable development, gender equality and national progress in Bangladesh.  

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The writer is a freelancer