Report on Child Marriage in Bangladesh and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Recent data indicates a significant regression in Bangladesh’s efforts to combat child marriage, with rates increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 51% of Bangladeshi women are married before the legal age of 18, the highest rate in South Asia. This trend poses a direct threat to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and signals a critical challenge to the nation’s progress in human development, poverty reduction, and education.

Statistical Analysis and Regional Context

The prevalence of child marriage in Bangladesh starkly contrasts with that of its regional neighbors, highlighting a worsening domestic situation. This setback reverses previous progress, where the pre-pandemic rate stood at approximately 33%.

• Bangladesh: 51%
• Afghanistan: 29%
• India: 23%
• Pakistan: 18%

Primary Drivers and their Link to SDG Failures

The rise in child marriage is attributed to a combination of socio-economic factors, many exacerbated by the recent global pandemic. These drivers directly undermine foundational SDGs.

1. Poverty and Economic Hardship (SDG 1: No Poverty): The primary driver identified is poverty. The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic increased household financial stress, leading underprivileged families to marry off daughters as a perceived means of alleviating economic burdens. This practice perpetuates the cycle of poverty, directly conflicting with the objectives of SDG 1.
2. Educational Disruption (SDG 4: Quality Education): Despite high female enrollment in secondary schools, pandemic-related disruptions and a lack of schools beyond the eighth grade in remote areas leave girls vulnerable. When educational pathways are blocked, early marriage is often seen as the only alternative, thus compromising progress on SDG 4.
3. Social Norms and Gender Inequality (SDG 5: Gender Equality & SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities): Deep-seated social norms that view girls as a family “burden” contribute significantly to the problem. This perspective reflects profound gender inequality, which is a core barrier to achieving SDG 5. The lack of social awareness regarding the detrimental impacts of early marriage further entrenches these harmful practices.
4. Weak Institutional and Community Action (SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): While a legal framework exists, experts note that government action alone is insufficient. A lack of robust community-level initiatives and watchdog mechanisms to enforce the law points to a weakness in institutional effectiveness, hindering the protection of children as mandated by SDG 16.2.

Impact on Sustainable Development Agenda

The high rate of child marriage creates a cascade of negative consequences that impede national development and the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The practice is a direct violation of Target 5.3, which calls for the elimination of all harmful practices, including child, early, and forced marriage.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Early marriage exposes girls to severe health risks, including complications from premature pregnancy and childbirth, undermining efforts to ensure healthy lives for all.
• SDG 4 (Quality Education): It is a primary cause for girls discontinuing their education, effectively nullifying gains in school enrollment and preventing them from reaching their full potential.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): By limiting educational and personal development, child marriage curtails women’s future economic opportunities, hindering inclusive economic growth.

Recommendations for Alignment with SDGs

To reverse this trend and realign with SDG targets, a multi-faceted approach focusing on human development and systemic change is required.

1. Strengthen Mass Awareness Campaigns: Launch national campaigns focused on the negative health, social, and economic impacts of child marriage to shift societal norms, in line with achieving SDG 5.
2. Empower Local Communities: Foster and support community-led initiatives to actively monitor and prevent child marriages, strengthening local governance and accountability as per SDG 16.
3. Invest in Human Development: Prioritize investment in human development over infrastructure, specifically by expanding access to quality education for girls beyond the eighth grade in all regions to support SDG 4.
4. Implement Economic Support Programs: Address the root cause of poverty by providing targeted financial support and livelihood opportunities for vulnerable families, directly contributing to SDG 1.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the most central SDG to the article. The entire piece focuses on child marriage, a practice that disproportionately affects girls and is a significant barrier to gender equality. The article states, “more than half of Bangladeshi women are married before reaching adulthood,” directly highlighting a key issue under this goal.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article explicitly identifies poverty as a primary cause of child marriage. It notes that the COVID-19 pandemic “exacerbated poverty” and that “Poverty is the primary driver of early marriages, as many guardians are unable to cope with household expenses.” This directly connects the issue to the goal of eradicating poverty.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article links child marriage to disruptions in and lack of access to education. It mentions that the pandemic “interrupted education for both boys and girls” and that in remote areas, “there are schools that provide education only up to class eight,” which can trigger early marriages for girls who have completed their available schooling. This connects the issue to the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  Child marriage is a violation of a child’s rights and is against the law (“married before turning 18 — the legal age for marriage”). The article calls for societal and governmental action, stating, “The government alone cannot act as a watchdog in every household. Local communities need to take initiative and actively work to stop child marriages.” This relates to building effective, accountable institutions and ending violence against children.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

  The article’s entire focus is on the rising rate of child marriage in Bangladesh, making this target directly relevant. The data provided on the percentage of girls married before 18 is a measure of progress (or lack thereof) toward this target.

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.

  This target is identified through the article’s emphasis on poverty as a root cause. The text states that “many guardians from underprivileged communities chose to marry off their daughters in hopes of reducing the financial burden on their families,” linking the reduction of poverty directly to the potential reduction of child marriage.

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

  This target is relevant because the article points to educational disruption and lack of access as contributing factors. The situation where girls in remote areas have “nothing to do at home” after completing eighth grade because of a lack of further schooling options directly relates to the goal of ensuring completion of secondary education.

• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

  Child marriage is a form of violence and exploitation of children. The article discusses the practice as a harmful societal problem that needs to be stopped, aligning with the objective of this target to protect children from all forms of violence.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 5.3

  Explicitly Mentioned: The article provides a direct statistic that aligns with Indicator 5.3.1 (Proportion of women aged 20–24 years who were married or in a union before age 18). It states, “51 percent of Bangladeshi girls are found to have been married before turning 18.” It also provides historical data for comparison, noting the rate was “around 33 percent” before the pandemic, allowing for progress tracking.

• Indicators for Target 1.2

  Implied: While no specific poverty rate is given, the article implies that the national poverty rate and the proportion of the population living in underprivileged conditions are key indicators. The text links increased poverty directly to the rise in child marriages, suggesting that tracking poverty levels is essential to understanding and addressing the issue.

• Indicators for Target 4.1

  Implied: The article implies several educational indicators. These include school enrollment and completion rates, particularly for secondary education. The mention of “the highest enrollment of girls in secondary school in the whole region” is one such indicator, while the reference to schools only going “up to class eight” in remote areas points to the need to measure the availability and accessibility of full secondary education as an indicator of progress.

• Indicators for Target 16.2

  Implied: The prevalence rate of child marriage itself (the 51% figure) serves as a direct indicator for violence against children. Additionally, the call for a “mass campaign conveying the demerits of early marriages” implies that social awareness levels and changes in societal attitudes towards child marriage could be used as qualitative indicators to measure progress.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: arabnews.com