Involve the youth in combating child marriage

Speakers at a programme yesterday emphasised the importance of incorporating youth into various government plans and policies to effectively combat child marriage.
They also highlighted the need for coordinated efforts among NGOs to address the issue.
These recommendations were shared during a views-exchange meeting titled “The Role of Youth in Ending Child Marriage and the Way Forward,” organised by the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) at The Daily Star Centre in Dhaka.
Barrister Sara Hossain, honorary executive director of BLAST, stressed the need to provide girls with sufficient opportunities for education and employment to promote self-reliance, which is a key strategy in preventing child marriage.
Media personality Farzana Brownia pointed out that many girls in rural areas are married off due to the lack of social security. She emphasised the importance of ensuring social protection for girls as a means of ending child marriage.
Taslima Yasmin, associate professor of Law at Dhaka University, underscored the significance of raising social awareness to fight child marriage.
Other speakers included Khodeja Sultana Lopa, country director of Diakonia Bangladesh; advocate Masuda Rehana, assistant general secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad; advocate Mitali Jahan, project manager at BRAC; rights activist Dr Sazeda Amin; and law student Mobassara Karim Mimi.