Girls' security must to end child marriage

The government must ensure security of girls to prevent child marriage in the country, said National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Mizanur Rahman yesterday.

He said in a society where girls will continue to be victims of stalking and not get justice, incidents of child marriage will also continue.

He was addressing a programme organised to launch the report "Asian Child Marriage Initiative" organised by Plan International Bangladesh at Dhaka University.

"We want to see rule of law, we want to see good governance, we want to see that the state takes action against perpetrators," Prof Mizan said. He emphasised preventing dropout of girls from schools, saying, "If education can be ensured, I am sure that incidents of child marriage will fall drastically."

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki said the government is working to completely eradicate child marriage by 2041. She also cautioned that stern action will be taken against stalkers and said the government is working to ensure security of girls.

Plan International Bangladesh Country Director Senait Gebregziabher, Women and Children Affairs Secretary Nasima Begum, Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Benoît-Pierre Laramée, and UNFPA Country Representative Argentina Pinto Matavel Piccin, among others, also spoke.

Some 73 percent females in Bangladesh get married before they turn 18, said the report commissioned by Plan International and Coram International.