Advocating for an end to child marriage

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Jamuna, 14, prevented a child marriage in her community thanks to her own initiative and the information she learned in Life Skill Based Education.

Jamuna, a 10th grade student lives in a slum under Narail sadar Sub-district in Bangladesh. She is the only daughter of day laborer Prodip Kumar, 36.

Jamuna participated in different session of Life Skill Based Education (LSBE) provided by Child Safety Net Project of World Vision Bangladesh in 2013. She learned about self-esteem, problem solving, critical thinking, tolerance, effective communication, and decision making among other things. She also learned about the causes and consequences of child marriage.

One day, she learned that one of her neighbors Mr. Rabiul, 34, was preparing to marry a young girl called Rupa, 12.  She left school when she was studying in grade three.

They understand they are able to make the right decisions about their own lives.

The news created urgency for Jamuna to do something to stop the child marriage. She gathered information about the marriage and found that $258 USD was exchanged as dowry. First, she talked with Rupa and discussed with her about the dark side of child marriage, and fortunately Rupa understood and changed her mind about getting married.

   

Jamuna counsels the victim of child marriage.

Then Jamuna made a plan with the help of her parents and hid Rupa on the wedding day. The groom-mates came to the marriage ceremony of Rupa but they couldn’t find her anywhere and finally they went away without the bride.

Jamuna then counseled Rupa’s parents and told them that child marriage could bring child pregnancy which increases her likelihood of dying or having a low birth weight baby. She also told them that this marriage could end up with the trafficking of Rupa. Finally, Rupa’s parents understood and the marriage was officially stopped.

Jamuna said, “I don’t want any adolescent girl to get married at early age in my locality. I can share my knowledge of LSBE with the young girls and I’m doing it. They understand they are able to make the right decisions about their own lives.”

Story and photo : Child Safety Net Project