Prolonged closure of schools coupled with Covid-triggered economic hardship is increasing the number of child marriages in Bangladesh. The efforts of government and non-government bodies helped reduce child marriage rate considerably over the past decade, but the widespread belief that marrying off daughters will ease the economic burden of Covid-19 now threatens to undo the benefits of all the work. Early or forced marriage is a violation of children’s human rights. This harmful practice forces them out of education and into a life with an increased risk of violence, sexual abuse, health problems, and premature death.
Poverty and economic hardship are considered the leading causes of child marriage, but female children of many well-off families are also married off before they turn 18. Poor parents falsely believe that girls would be unable to find employment and only boys would be able to support the family. On the other hand, according to UNICEF, rich parents feel they are protecting their children from sexual violence by marrying them off at the onset of puberty. The parents would have waited two more years if their daughter’s college remained open. They do not wish to see their daughter sitting idly at home. Although it is illegal to get girls married before they turn 18, a special provision (under Section 19 of the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2017) allows girls’ marriage before 18 years.
A rapid survey found that at least 13,886 child marriages were held in 21 districts of Bangladesh between April and October 2020. The highest 1,512 child marriages took place in Barguna. In 78% of the cases, parents were the initiators of the marriage with their financial insolvency cited as the key factor. The study found four top reasons for child marriage which were poverty, girls being out of school, traditional norms around husband security, and family member’s loss of job or earnings directly for Covid-19.
Under the prevailing situation, reopening of schools and colleges can help reduce early marriages of girls. The government should strengthen the vaccination programme so that all educational institutions can resume normal functioning at the earliest.
