US embassy cable - 05DHAKA1218

UNCLAS DHAKA 001218 
 
SIPDIS 
 
G/IWI L KHADIAGALA, SA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, ELAB, PGOV, SCUL, SOCI, KWMN, ECON, BD 
SUBJECT: CHILD MARRIAGE IN BANGLADESH 
 
REF: SECSTATE 36341 
 
1. (U) After consulting with government officials, the NGO 
community and UN agencies stationed in Dhaka, Embassy Dhaka 
is pleased to respond to the Child Marriage survey sent out 
by Washington. 
 
A. The legal age of marriage in Bangladesh is 18 for girls 
and 21 for boys. There is not a lower legal age for marriage 
with parental consent, however, in practice it happens 
frequently. 
 
B. In Bangladesh, underage marriage is a significant problem 
among the population at large. Reliable statistics about 
underage marriage in Bangladesh are difficult because 
marriage registrations are sporadic and birth registrations 
to verify children's actual age are not universal. According 
to one study published in October 2002 from the Ministry of 
Women and Children Affairs and supported through UNICEF, 51 
percent of girls and 7 percent of boys aged 13 to 22 are 
married. The survey reveals that "marriage is the dominant 
reality for rural adolescent girls." The Bangladesh Children 
Rights Forum, conducted a survey last year finding the 
average age of marriage between 10-15 for girls and 15-18 for 
boys. Additionally they estimate that 9 million child 
marriages happen a year and that around 40 percent of all 
marriages are child marriages. 
 
Underage marriage has multiple adverse affects on the well 
being of the child ranging from health problems to stunting 
personal and professional development. According to the 
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs report, "marriage is 
the major reason that girls drop out of school."  As a 
result, the Bangladesh government offers stipends for girls' 
school expenses only if parents promise to delay their 
daughters' marriage until age 18. 
 
C. USAID has been funding an Adolescent Reproductive Health 
Program which encourages later marriage among Bangladeshi 
youth.  Through a collaborative process involving local 
youth, an Adolescent Reproductive Health Toolkit has been 
developed.  Each toolkit has corresponding video tapes, CD 
videos, and facilitator guides.  Additionally, comic books, 
radio and television programs were developed for this target 
audience.  Current plans include a strong marketing and 
dissemination strategy.  Encouraging later marriage is a 
central message among the adolescent health issues covered in 
this program. 
 
USAID also funds democracy and governance programs targeted 
at women and children which indirectly address the issue of 
child marriage as well as a health program that advocates 
immediate birth registration. 
THOMAS