Child Marriages Spike in Urban, Climate-Hit Areas: Plan Int'l Bangladesh Study

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Publish : 11 Nov 2025, 07:19 PM

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Plan International Bangladesh has revealed in a study that self-initiated child marriages are increasing, especially in urban and climate-vulnerable areas.

The organization is calling for Bangladesh to abandon old awareness models and adopt health-centered, system-driven solutions to curb the trend.

The study presented at a dissemination event titled “Between Choice and Constraint: Examining Institutional Gaps and Emerging Trends Related to Child Marriage in Bangladesh,” has analyzed how child marriage is changing across the country, particularly in climate-vulnerable, border-adjacent, hard-to-reach and urban slum areas.

The research identifies a significant and troubling pattern: a growing rate of adolescents choosing to marry early. This "self-initiated child marriage" is occurring despite a lack of adequate understanding among the youth regarding the severe physical and emotional consequences of the decision.

The research also urges digital reforms in marriage registration, improved SRHR and education services and livelihood support in climate-affected areas to reduce the economic triggers of early marriage.

The organization said in a press release issued on Tuesday, "The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Department of Youth Development, UNICEF, academia, civil society and youth organisations, creating a platform to deliberate on institutional accountability and collective action."

It further said, "Despite progress in education and legal frameworks, adolescent girls remain vulnerable to multiple and intersecting risks. In urban settlements such as Dholpur, Dhaka, 32% of girls’ marriages and 11% of boys’ marriages were found to be self-initiated, with the majority initiated by boys.

Nearly half of newly married girls become pregnant within a year, exposing them to higher obstetric complications and perinatal death rates. These vulnerabilities are compounded by weak marriage registration systems, falsified birth records, and climate-related livelihood insecurities that continue to push families into early marriage."

A representative from Plan International Bangladesh said, "While working on child protection, we have observed that girls are comparatively more deprived and often face violence. From that realisation, we decided to give special focus to girls. In the world of gender equality we envision, girls face discrimination from birth. If we can address that reality, we can move further towards achieving true gender equality."

However, the organization further stated, "A high-level panel discussion deepened the dialogue on the intersection of law, enforcement, youth leadership, religion, and community engagement in addressing the issue."

In the event, Dr Taslima Yasmin, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Dhaka, questioned how the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 can be applied in cases where adolescents themselves choose marriage, noting that punishment should not violate children’s rights.

Md Faruk Hossain, Joint Commissioner of Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, reflected on the role of law enforcement, stressing the need for greater responsiveness and community coordination to prevent child marriages at the local level.

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Youth representative Shirin Akhtar Asha from the Youth Environment Development Organisation highlighted how young people can act as change agents within their communities.

Contributors from UNICEF and faith-based organisations underscored the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, including with religious leaders, to transform community perceptions and end the misuse of faith to justify early marriage.

However, the discussions reinforced key recommendations from the research - including strengthening Child Marriage Prevention Committees (CMPCs) at all administrative levels, reframing awareness messages to highlight the health rationale behind the legal age of 18, and promoting positive parenting to rebuild parent–child communication.

Meanwhile, Plan International Bangladesh reiterated its commitment to working alongside government bodies, development partners, and community actors to ensure every girl can learn, lead, decide, and thrive in a society free from child marriage and gender inequality.

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