ZCZC
BSS – 48
CHUMKI-ADOLESCENT-MARRIAGE
Govt firm to end child marriage by 2041: Chumki
DHAKA, July 31, 2018 (BSS) – State Minister for Women and Child Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki today said although the government is committed to eliminate the child marriage by 2041 the problem would be driven out before the stipulated time.
“The government is pledge-bound to eliminate one-third marriages of under-15 girls and girls aged between 15 and 18 years by 2021 and remove the child marriage completely by 2041,” said the state minister.
She said this while addressing a programme celebrating adolescent power through lunch of multi-sectoral programmes at Hotel Pan-Pacific Sonargaon here this afternoon.
Referring to the initiative of the government for children and adolescent, Chumki said Bangladesh is home to 33 million adolescents aged 10-18 years, constituting 20 per cent of the total population, who despite the socio-economic progress of the country, face numerous risks and vulnerabilities exacerbated by their age, geography, climate, sex, chosen gender, as well as educational and economic backgrounds of their families.
These challenges include secondary education incompletion, malnutrition, child marriage, sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation, child labour and workplace hazards, violence at home, in schools and in the workplace, as well as lack of reliable information and safe spaces to learn and discuss issues related to their own cognitive, emotional, social, behavioural and physical growth, she added.
With Women and Children Affairs Secretary Nasima Begum in chair, the programme also was addressed by Director of the Unicef regional office of South Asia Jean Gough.
Unicef representative in Bangladesh Edouard Beighbeder gave the welcome address while UNFPA deputy representative in Bangladesh Iori Kato also spoke.
Chumki told the function that the government is committed to ensure child rights including the rights of adolescents, adding that and in line with this the government is focused on child centered budget and the allocation is being increased every year.
In 2016-17, the child budget was Taka 46,000 crore which was increased to Taka 55,860 crore in 2017-18 fiscal year, she noted.
The state minister thanked the donor agencies to extend their support for operating the phase 2 campaign to end child marriage by the stipulated time.
A number of media and communication -based initiatives have been launched to celebrate the power of adolescence with an aim to enhance adolescent engagement and empowerment. These include Shorno Chef (Shinning Chef), a cooking show developed by UNICEF, channel I and the Shorno Kishoree Network Foundation to encourage healthy eating among adolescents and their families.
Besides, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Ministry of Information with support of Unicef and Unfpa have launched a new evidence-based adolescent focused 26-episode drama series – Icchedana (On the Wings of Wishes) that portrays the lives of a group of Bangladeshi girls who face and overcome the challenges and risks of adolescence.
BSS/ASG/OG/BR/1940