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5 Charities Operating in Bangladesh

Charities Operating in BangladeshBangladesh has made significant strides from poverty to becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The poverty rate has gone from 41.6% to 18.7% in the past decade. While improvements in health care and education are notable, many areas still lack essential resources. Bangladeshis living in poverty-stricken areas have inadequate access to healthcare, education and food, with about 25% of the country being food insecure.

In addition, Bangladesh has the fourth highest child marriage rate in the world, primarily affecting rural populations living in poverty. These populations often turn to child marriage as they are unable to provide for their daughters. Despite progress, disparities persist, leaving some regions underserved.

To address these challenges, several charities are actively working on the ground in Bangladesh. They aim to ensure equitable access to vital resources for all citizens. These organizations play a crucial role in bridging the gap and empowering communities through supporting health care, education and poverty alleviation. Here are five charities operating in Bangladesh:

Save the Children

Save the Children is a global nongovernmental organization (NGO) that stands as a vigilant guardian for children worldwide, committed to shielding them from potential harm. Operating in Bangladesh since 1970, its initiatives encompass essential programs such as health, education and protective measures.

Noteworthy achievements include spearheading the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) MaMoni Maternal Care Strengthening Project, a five-year program that began in 2018. It aimed to increase access to quality maternal and newborn health care and to reduce the maternal and neonatal mortality rate for marginalized communities.

Additionally, there’s the Reading Enhancement for Advancing Development (READ) project, a five-year program that took place from 2013 to 2018. This initiative provided training for teachers and reading materials for students, impacting more than one million learners. Moreover, Save the Children’s efforts extend to aiding Rohingya refugees residing in southeastern Bangladesh by building facilities such as toilets, health care centers and learning centers, exemplifying its unwavering commitment to the well-being and production of vulnerable children in the region.

Jaago Foundation

Jaago Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 that is dedicated to empowering underprivileged individuals across Bangladesh, with a focus on education, youth development and women’s empowerment. Currently, its endeavors include blistering technological skills among students and expanding access to education through digital platforms.

In addition, it provides scholarships to women, ensuring they can pursue and continue their education, thus fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. Through its efforts, it has helped provide access to education to more than 3,500 students and engaged 16,000 children in reading initiatives. Through these initiatives, the Jaago Foundation is catalyzing transformative change and paving the way for a brighter future for all.

Thrive Global

Thrive Global has been on a mission to combat child hunger in Bangladesh by providing nutritious meals to schools. It has collaborated with local NGOs since 2012. USAID approximates that 25% of Bangladesh remains food insecure, including 36% of kids under 5 years of age. Children remain one of the most vulnerable populations to malnutrition.

Thrive Global’s targeted efforts are concentrated in underprivileged areas, particularly urban slums, where access to adequate nutrition is often scarce. Each day, it provides meals to about 2,100 students at 11 different schools across Bangladesh; 20 more schools are currently on the waiting list to receive daily meals.

Recently, Thrive Global has extended its reach to the Philippines, expanding its impactful initiatives beyond borders to address the pressing issue of childhood malnutrition in more communities. Through dedicated work, the nonprofit is sowing seeds of hope and nourishment for a brighter future for children in need.

Girls Not Brides

Another of the charities operating in Bangladesh is Girls Not Brides, an international organization that is at the forefront of the global movement to eradicate child marriages. Launched in Bangladesh in 2013, it focuses on nurturing youth leadership and empowering young activists, as well as advocating for increased investment in programs aimed at ending child marriage.

In 2017, the organization was involved in the technical revision of the Child Marriage Restrain Act, a law intended to make sure that girls under the age of 18 and boys under the age of 21 are protected from unlawful marriage. It continues to lobby the government for the enforcement of the act while simultaneously striving to raise public awareness throughout the country.

Girls Not Brides has reached nearly 50,000 girls across Bangladesh through its efforts to end child marriage. This nonprofit is driving meaningful change toward a future free from child marriage in Bangladesh and beyond.

Brackett Refugee Foundation

Brackett Refugee Education Fund is a nonprofit foundation established in 1997 and dedicated to providing education for refugees, particularly internally displaced children. It supports children in poverty-stricken regions by providing financial contributions so they can go to school. With a focus on Burma, Bangladesh, India and Thailand, it supports students at various levels, including to hundreds of university students, offering them a chance at a brighter future amid adversity.

In Bangladesh, the organization supports educational assistance to Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar through the Children on the Edge program, which sets up learning centers and digital initiatives. By focusing on providing access to education, it empowers these vulnerable populations to foster resilience and opportunities for a brighter future.

Looking Forward

Bangladesh’s progress in tackling poverty is evident, but challenges persist, particularly regarding regional disparities in access to essential resources. Charities operating in Bangladesh play a vital role in bridging these gaps and fostering a more equitable society. As Bangladesh continues to develop, ongoing efforts to address inequality are essential for ensuring that all citizens have the opportunity to thrive in the country’s evolving landscape.

– Adrita Quabili
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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CARE’s Work Toward Ending Child Marriage

Child MarriageChild marriage (CM) violates human rights and has detrimental effects on the lives and welfare of girls. Although there are legal prohibitions against the marriage of underage girls, cultural and social norms often take precedence over these enforced laws. However, nonprofit foundations and organizations are working toward eradicating the practice worldwide.

Among them is CARE, a nongovernmental organization that started in 1945 after Arthur Ringland and Dr. Lincoln Clark advocated for the establishment of a nonprofit entity designed to transfer food packages from America to Europe during World War II (WWII). Throughout the years, CARE developed other aid initiatives serving crises in response to changing global political dynamics, including the Berlin Blockade and the Korean War.

In 1982, programs for women’s advancement were established in Bangladesh. Similarly, in 1993, CARE targeted its efforts into prioritizing the empowerment of girls and women to tackle poverty. Today, the nonprofit works in up to 109 countries worldwide and has become a global organization working toward gender justice, among other causes.

CARE’s Approach

CARE has approached the fight against child marriage through a primary program called “Tipping Point.” The initiative was implemented from 2013 to 2023, in Bangladesh and Nepal in South Asia and adapted in West Africa, Mali, Niger and Northern Syria in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The program consisted of three phases.

The first phase, which lasted for four years, prioritized innovations and learnings by engaging adolescents and parents in sessions in which open dialogue was encouraged. A central effort in this phase was to challenge deep rooted harmful social norms related to CM. During weekly sessions with separate groups of girls and boys, the kids were encouraged to self-reflect and think about love, their strengths and their dreams, as well as unequal social norms such as girls’ mobility, division of labor, restrictions on girls and risks of Child marriage.

Additionally, boys worked on reflecting on their masculinity. The sessions with the mothers were focused on reproductive health, family planning and also their own agency. Part of these sessions included discussions about their relationships with the children and generally building soft skills within connections at the family level.

Second Phase

The second phase, which lasted three years, invested in creating spaces for all community members to reflect on the unequal social norms. Suniti Neogy, CARE’s Senior Technical Advisor, says that work at the community level was also a crucial part of the program, working toward changing norms around issues that girls grappled with, such as mobility and access to education.

Sessions were also held with religious leaders, school teachers and government officials on reflections on issues of equality, workload, sexual health, virginity and honor, including the risks and benefits of CM. CARE’s fight against CM begins with opening the dialogue among and between the families and the girls. “If you work on girls’ or women’s empowerment, but you don’t work with the families or you don’t work with the community around them, it’s not easy to change that,” says Neogy.

The third and final phase of “Tipping Point,” also lasting three years, used experience from the previous two phases to advocate for policies addressing core factors propelling the practice of CM. The final phase also connected girls with women’s rights organizations so they could find support beyond the program.

Challenges

Neogy says a primary challenge when fighting CM is how “everybody thinks that we are there to stop Child Marriage.” According to her, the question “How many child marriages did you stop?” is frequently asked in government forums. “If her confidence is not built, if she’s not even able to speak for herself, if she continues to have no agency, it will not make a difference in her life if she’s married today or tomorrow,” stated Neogy.

According to Neogy, prevention is the only way to combat Child Marriage. She says the work has to be done with different sectors and different stakeholders so that “from all sides, it’s the same language that is spoken.”

CARE’s Director of “Tipping Point,” Serkadis Amassu, says that combating CM with law reforms has not worked. She states that the practice is highly intrinsic to social and gender norms, with some communities in South Asia believing that marrying girls will bring respect to the family and save them from potential disgrace if the girl becomes pregnant before marriage.

Girls in Action

Girls in Action is also a part of CARE’s gender transformative program. The model brought together girls from different communities in Bangladesh and encouraged them to identify an issue in their community that hindered them from achieving their dreams and aspirations.

Through surveys, the girls collected data regarding that issue within their communities and they then presented it to the parents and other community members. Neogy says activities like this encouraged the girls to speak out, negotiate with their parents and build a relationship between the girls.

Success Story

CARE’s “Tipping Point” program concluded in December of 2023. However, its accomplishments toward bettering the lives of girls and adolescents still linger in the communities. Data published by the organization shows a reduction of CM by 63% in girls who attended 36 to 40 “Tipping Point” sessions in Bangladesh, the country with the fourth most cases of CM worldwide.

Overall, CARE’s published results show a favorable shift in social norms concerning girls’ freedom and agency, as well as a betterment of collective community efforts to uphold girls’ rights over time across various sectors.

– Paula Pujol-Gibson
Photo: Flickr

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Child Marriage in the Dominican Republic

Child Marriage in the Dominican RepublicFor one day in 2020, 10-year-old Melany of the Dominican Republic stepped into President Luis Abinader’s office as part of Plan International’s youth empowerment campaign, allowing young girls to voice their concerns and desires in influential spaces. Melany chose to advocate for a more robust response to child marriage in the Dominican Republic, an issue that the country is facing at a high level. Child marriage in the Dominican Republic is even legal with parental and judicial permission.

During her time in office, Melany spent hours with the President, advocating and discussing the prioritization of protecting children and in 2021, a year after Melany’s symbolic “presidency,” the Dominican Republic passed Law 1-21, making it illegal for a person under 18 to marry under any circumstance.

History and Effects of Child Marriage

According to the International Justice Mission (IJM), among all Latin American and Caribbean countries, the Dominican Republic has the highest rates of child marriage, defined as “any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child.” According to UNICEF, approximately 36% of women between ages 20 and 24 were first married before turning 18 in the Dominican Republic, compared to 15% in Haiti, 8% in Jamaica and 26% in Cuba.

The consequences of these unions reach from the individual level to the national level and even worldwide, with profound effects on a country’s economy and living standards. In 2017, the World Bank found that individuals married under the age of 18 are more likely to drop out of school, resulting in a shortened education that disqualifies them from job opportunities and reduces their earnings in the labor market.

It also found that being married during childhood is a likely predictor of pregnancy before the age of 18. The addition of supporting a child adds financial demand on top of the already limiting conditions of shortened education and job disqualification, creating a poverty-vulnerable environment.

Advocacy Efforts and Improvements

To combat the financial consequences and causes of child marriage in the Dominican Republic, Crecer Contenta, a program set up in 2012 by Plan International that Melany is also part of, collaborates with 120 communities around the country to set up an extracurricular class.

The class provides financial education to young girls, covering topics such as money management, entrepreneurial pursuits and life skills to help them overcome social issues within their communities. It also educates parents to promote community solidarity against child marriage and emphasizes the widespread benefits of keeping children in school and out of marriage.

According to Plan International, about 540 young girls have felt the impacts of Crecer Contenta. The program recently completed its nine-month program in five Dominican communities, working with 88 girls to develop their financial skills and instill the importance of completing education.

While child marriage is illegal in the Dominican Republic it continues informally. More than three years after her time in office, Melany continues her fight against these informal unions with the support of Crecer Contenta and Plan International by her side.

– Emily Shapiro
Photo: Unsplash

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Child Marriage and Women’s Rights in Burkina Faso

Women's Rights in Burkina FasoBurkina Faso, home to 3 million child brides, grapples with one of the highest child marriage rates in the world. Shockingly, of these children, 500,000 girls are married before the age of 15. This deeply ingrained practice finds its roots in a complex web of factors from tradition to poverty and, most importantly, gender inequality. Child marriage not only strips girls of their childhoods but also robs them of the opportunity to enjoy their rights and reach their full potential. It perpetuates a cycle where girls’ voices are silenced, their dreams dashed and their aspirations sacrificed. Ending this practice means empowering girls to be healthy, to continue their education and to participate actively in development.

The Impact

The consequences of child marriage reverberate throughout the lives of girls and young women in Burkina Faso. A lack of education is one of the most common outcomes. As the adolescent birth rate is 132.3 per 1,000 women aged 15–19, girls who marry early are more likely to drop out of school to raise their children. 

Furthermore, the health implications of these rights violations for girls cannot be overlooked. Burkina Faso has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world, with one in every twenty-two women succumbing to pregnancy-related causes. By simply providing education to these girls surrounding sex education, alongside improved health care programs in place, these deaths could be dramatically reduced. These alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions that empower girls and women to make informed choices about their lives, their health and their futures.

A Glimmer of Hope

That being said, despite these shocking statistics, Burkina Faso as a nation does recognize the need for change, and recent developments demonstrate this. As of February 2020, the Burkina Faso government had announced its dedication to eradicating early, non consensual marriage for girls by raising the legal age of marriage to 18 and ensuring that in Burkina Faso’s criminal code, forced marriage is clearly outlawed. 

A year later, in July 2021, Burkina Faso also committed to a five-year journey of action to improve gender equality by 2026 by investing $40 million into the development of legal as well as social change to end not only child marriage but gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and more. These efforts demonstrate a genuine commitment to protecting the rights of girls and women throughout the country. 

Impact: Success Stories and Empowering Change 

In Burkina Faso, where conflict disrupts education and pressures some families into early marriages, stories of resilience and hope emerge. 

At the Sainte Maria Goretti shelter, a beacon of hope, over one hundred young women have sought refuge, each with a determination to rekindle their dreams. Sister Veronique, a guardian at the shelter, has been witness to their incredible journeys. “Some have faced violence, while others endured hardships that would daunt the bravest,” she shared. Veronique takes care of girls like Evelyne, 16, whose grandfather planned to force her to marry an older man after an attack on their village caused them to flee.

“I overheard his intentions and made the courageous choice to find refuge here,” said Evelyne. “I’m still a child, and on top of that, I want to study,” she emphasized. While Evelyne’s parents eventually located her at the shelter, social worker support and their recognition of Evelyne’s passion for learning convinced them to let her continue her education. 

These stories radiate the indomitable spirit of young girls in Burkina Faso, who, even in the face of adversity, stand resolute in their pursuit of education and dreams. Their journeys embody the transformative power of enabling girls to make choices that shape their own lives and futures, encapsulating the promise and hope for women’s rights in Burkina Faso.

A Hopeful Path Forward

In Burkina Faso, the battle against child marriage is ongoing, but there is a glimmer of hope that lights the way for women’s rights in Burkina Faso. The prevalence of this harmful practice is gradually decreasing as legal reforms and awareness campaigns gain momentum. While there is much work ahead, the path forward is clear: By breaking the cycle of child marriage, we not only empower individual girls but also pave the way for an entire generation to rise, thrive and shape a brighter future for women’s rights in Burkina Faso.

– Phoebe Abrahams
Photo: Flickr

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Child Marriage in Iran

Child Marriage in IranChild marriage is illegal in 153 countries. However, it is not in the past and still occurs legally quite frequently in 45 sovereign states. Despite the immense decline in matrimonies among minors, the numbers still remain disturbing in the eastern part of the world. One of the countries with a high prevalence rate of child marriage is Iran. 

Economy in Iran 

Iran is a Middle Eastern country known for its fossil fuel sources. The United States Department of Energy proclaimed Iran the world’s third-largest oil and second-largest natural gas reserves holder. Despite its abundance of lucrative resources, Iran’s Parliament Research Center reported that 30.8% of the population faces financial hardship. 

Legal and Illegal Child Marriages

The pervasiveness of underaged marriages is one of the reasons that detriments the economy of Iran. UNICEF shortlisted Iran in the top five countries with a high rate of child espousal in 2020 in the Middle East and North Africa. According to Iran Open Data, one out of five marriages is among minor people. The Islamic government established the legal age of marriage to be 13 for girls and 15 for boys. However, the Islamic Republic civil code permits people to get married below the set age with a legal guardian’s consent. 

Despite scientific research recording the physical, mental and moral harm caused by early marriages, Iranian law still allows it. Moreover, numerous cases of illegal marriages occur on a religious basis that forces girls to wait for their majority to get married legally. Therefore, an underaged wife is not eligible for endowment or financial support in case of the loss of her husband. In addition, society always demands young women to quit academic institutions in order to take care of the household. 

Economic, Mental and Moral Harm of Early Matrimony

The law’s acceptance of child marriage in Iran results in early pregnancy, illiteracy and social barriers for young women. All these factors are detrimental to the flourishing economy and society of the country because they lead to the gender gap in the community and workplace. 

Early marriage not only harms the economy of Iran, but it also motivates pedophilia and child mistreatment because Islamic Republic laws on marriage permit alternative forms of sexual pleasure besides penetration until the age of 9 for spouses. Hence, child marriage traumatizes girls and ruins their lives from an early age. 

The Effect of COVID-19

COVID-19 raised the number of early marriages. Iran Open Data announced a sharp increase in child nuptials. COVID-19 provoked this type of marriage after a gradual reduction previously. The Civil Registration Organization reported 118,000 registered underaged marriages, which is 9000 extra from the past years. 

Hope for Iranian Girls From the Government 

Regardless of a rapid spike in underaged marriages, the situation remains hopeful. Currently, the Iranian government is undertaking measures to prevent child marriage by increasing the age of the legal espousal for both men and women to 18 years old. The Iranian government has accepted for consideration an adjustment of the Civil Code to enlarge the legal age for matrimony. The law’s implementation will result in positive outcomes for the communal and financial future of the country. 

Furthermore, Iran aims to banish early and involuntary marriage by 2030. Apart from the legislation, Plan International has presented five solutions to thwart underaged matrimonies. It emphasized education and empowerment of young ladies to help the community be more supportive and accepting of women’s rights. Plan International offers to petition the Iranian government about the importance of girls’ development which they are not able to get because of forced and child marriages.

Positive Outcomes 

Augmentation of marriage age will result in a higher prevalence of education for both men and women. Since society will not force girls to abandon school in order to take care of their husbands and offspring. Thus, this change will affect the economic condition of Iran because more women will be able to work. 

It is important not only from an economic point of view but also from a social perspective, considering that girls will receive an opportunity to fulfill their potential in society. 

– Stephanie Len
Photo: Flickr

Child Marriage in the Central African Republic

Child Marriage in the Central African Republic

Child marriage rates in the Central African Republic are the second-highest globally. According to Girls Not Brides, among girls in the Central African Republic, 61% marry before their 18th birthday and 26% marry before they turn 15 years of age. As for young men or boys, 28% marry before the age of 18. There are several factors that contribute to this problem, and below is a look into some of them.

Factors Contributing to Child Marriage in the Central African Republic

  1. Education Gaps, Poverty and Cultural Standards: Child Marriage In the Central African Republic is prevalent primarily because of poverty, social norms prioritizing male education over female education and a general lack of education. In a country where most people live in poverty and lack access to education, families often see marriage as a way to provide their daughters with economic opportunities and ensure their safety. According to Monique Nali, the former director for gender promotion at the Ministry of social affairs, girls in the Central African Republic go into marriage before adulthood due to social norms that prioritize early marriage for girls. In this society, a common belief is that marriage and motherhood are the only roles for women. Unfortunately, such beliefs contribute to the perpetuation of female oppression.
  2. Polygamy: In a polygamous relationship, the law sanctions the practice as long as the spouses acknowledge and agree to the arrangement before marriage. In many cultures, having multiple wives and children is considered a symbol of wealth and pride and it can also increase the labor force. Additionally, polygamy can provide continuity for family lines.
  3. Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C): Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) is a significant contributing factor to the prevalence of child marriage in the Central African Republic. According to statistics from Orchid Project and 28 Too Many (2022), 17.3% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 underwent FGM/C from 2018 to 2019. In this region, FGM/C is a core part of the culture and girls undergo the painful procedure as a rite of passage. Unfortunately, girls who have undergone FGM/C are more likely to become victims of child marriage.

Measures To Prevent Child Marriage

In the Central African Republic, children under the age of 18 have no legal permission to marry due to the 1992 Convention on the Rights of the Child. The government is responsible for ensuring that every person has the right to freely consent to marriage. The Central African Republic has also implemented additional laws to prevent early and forced marriages.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international agreement that prohibits discrimination against women, was signed in 1991 and requires all states to ensure free and full consent to marriage. This convention has established a legal framework for the protection of children’s rights in the Central African Republic, particularly in regard to marriage. Furthermore, CEDAW has aided in eradicating all types of discrimination against women in the country.

While the Central African Republic has committed to achieving Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which calls for eliminating child marriage, forced marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030, High-level political forums are yet to provide updates on progress.

Conclusion

The Central African Republic’s ability to enforce laws protecting children appears to be weak due to a lack of resources, inadequate funding for initiatives and unstable economic conditions, leaving women and girls vulnerable to violence. Addressing gender inequality and harmful practices, such as child marriage, can be challenging in cultures where such practices are traditional.

It is much easier for girls who are married as children to become victims of physical and sexual violence from their partners because their lack of rights and power over their lives makes them more vulnerable to such violence. This vulnerability may lead to long-term psychological and physical effects. Hence, public awareness campaigns and education could play a major role in creating real and lasting change in the fight against child marriage in the Central African Republic.

– Simran Raghav
Photo: Flickr

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USAID Efforts to Advance Gender Equality

Advance Gender EqualityGender equality is a fundamental human right that is crucial for sustainable development. USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, advances gender equality through its policies, programs, and partnerships. USAID has implemented a range of strategies to promote gender equality, including the following three:

The Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative

The Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative was launched in 2019 by the Trump administration to promote women’s economic empowerment globally. The initiative has reached over 12 million women in its first year and aims to reach 50 million women in developing countries before 2025 through various programs, partnerships, and initiatives. W-GDP focuses on three pillars:

  • Women Prospering in the Workforce: This pillar aims to support women’s entrepreneurship, increase their access to capital and improve their workforce development skills.
  • Women Succeeding as Entrepreneurs: This pillar focuses on supporting women-owned and women-led businesses, improving access to markets and promoting innovation and technology.
  • Women Enabled in the Economy: This pillar aims to increase women’s access to financial services and assets and remove legal, regulatory and cultural barriers that hinder women’s economic participation.

W-GDP has already made significant progress toward its goals to advance gender equality. The initiative has launched several innovative programs and initiatives that have helped thousands of women entrepreneurs and business owners in the developing world.

U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace and Security

The U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace and Security (2019) is a comprehensive plan that aims to advance gender equality by promoting women’s participation in peace processes and conflict prevention. The strategy recognizes the importance of women’s leadership and participation in decision-making processes. It seeks to address the unique needs and challenges faced by women and girls in conflict-affected areas. The strategy outlines four main objectives:

  • To increase women’s participation in peace negotiations, conflict prevention and resolution.
  • To promote women’s protection and access to relief and recovery services in conflict-affected areas.
  • To support women’s economic empowerment and access to education and training in conflict-affected areas.
  • To improve data collection and monitoring of women’s participation and protection in conflict-affected areas.

During the fiscal year 2021, USAID supported more than 77,000 women’s participation in leadership, legal, political, conflict mediation and peacebuilding processes. Additionally, over 5.3 million gender-based violence survivors received crucial health care, legal aid, economic services and psychosocial support. To support women and girls in countries affected by natural disasters, crisis, violent extremism and conflict, USAID invested more than $243 million in various programs.

Ending Child Marriage and Meeting the Needs of Married Children

This document outlines USAID’s strategy for addressing child marriage and supporting married children. The report recognizes child marriage as a harmful practice that can have devastating consequences for girls, including limited access to education, health care and economic opportunities as well as increased risk of gender-based violence. It is estimated that every year around 10 million girls are married before they turn 18. In developing nations, 1 in 7 girls is married before turning 15 and some child brides are as young as 8 or 9. Orphans and young girls without involved caregivers are especially at risk of early marriage. 1 in 9 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 were coerced into a marriage.

The report outlines several key strategies for ending child marriage and supporting married children:

  • Addressing the root causes of child marriage, such as poverty, focusing on approaches that advance gender equality and social norms that devalue girls.
  • Increasing access to education and economic opportunities for girls which can help delay marriage and provide alternatives to child marriage.
  • Promoting laws and policies that protect girls’ rights and prohibit child marriage.
  • Strengthening health systems to provide reproductive health services and support for married children.
  • Engaging with communities and religious leaders to shift social norms and attitudes towards child marriage.

Different stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations and religious leaders must cooperate to address child marriage and support married children. There is a need for data and evidence-based programming to address the issue effectively. The report presents a comprehensive vision for ending child marriage and meeting the needs of married children and provides a roadmap for USAID’s efforts in this area.

USAID’s strategies that advance gender equality demonstrate its commitment to promoting women’s empowerment, reducing gender disparities and improving the lives of women and girls globally. Through its policies, programs and partnerships, USAID strives to create a more just and equitable world where everyone can thrive.

– Nino Basaria
Photo: Flickr

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Child Marriage in Zimbabwe

Child Marriage in ZimbabweChild Marriage in Zimbabwe has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Without schools functioning in person, children have less protection and experience more human rights violations such as child marriage and pregnancy.

Child marriage in Zimbabwe greatly predates the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that efforts to eliminate the practice will require a wide range of economic and cultural mitigation tactics rather than focusing solely on the eradication of the coronavirus.

Current Events

The topic of child marriage in Zimbabwe caught international attention recently when 14-year-old Memory Machaya died during childbirth. The practice is common in Zimbabwe’s Apostolic Church and has led to an online petition entitled “justice for Memory Machaya” garnering nearly 60,000 signatures.

“Female persons are not seen as fully human, with individual rights, choice, right to control our own bodies,” said Zimbabwean feminist activist Everjoice Win in a tweet on August 6, 2021 “The enemy is patriarchy, and the attendant systems within the state and religious institutions and wider society, which do not see us as humans.”

Introduction to Child Marriage in Zimbabwe

Almost one in three Zimbabwean women are married by the time they turn 18. The practice most often occurs in the poorer regions of Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West regions, where 50% and 42% of girls, respectively, marry as children, according to a 2014 UNICEF report. Despite the fact that the Zimbabwean Constitutional Court deemed the practice of child marriage as unconstitutional in January 2016, setting the minimum age for marriage at 18, child marriage in Zimbabwe persists.

What Drives Child Marriage?

The risks for child marriage in Zimbabwe have the potential to exist domestically but require unequivocal participation from healthcare providers. In a 2016-2020 healthcare plan, The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Strategy allowed 16-year-olds to receive contraception without parental consent. However, providers remain reluctant and child services are scarce.

Lack of education also drives child marriage in Zimbabwe. The same 2014 survey found that “the average age at marriage is 17.2 years for girls with no education and 23.6 for girls with more than a secondary education.” Nearly half of 15- to 19-year-olds without a secondary education began having children compared to only one in five girls the same age who completed their secondary education.

Potential Solutions

UNICEF published a list of strategies that it plans to implement throughout Western and Central Africa to reduce child marriage. The organization cites the growing child population in Africa behind the urgency in their efforts.

The following practices will help UNICEF reduce child marriage in the year 2021:

  1. Enable At-Risk Girls to Stay in School Through Secondary Education: UNICEF sees education as an opportunity for at-risk girls to develop vital life skills to make their own life choices and stand up for their rights. As this article previously mentioned, the rate at which girls marry depends on the presence or lack of secondary education.
  2. Fuel Positive Opinions Regarding the Investment in Girls: Through community discussion, the opinions of whether to invest and value the lives of girls could help in promoting and implementing practices that limit or eliminate child marriage.
  3. Provide Adequate and Affordable Health and Education of High Quality: Not only is the presence of education and health care important, but the quality is as well. Without providing affordable and effective health care and education systems, girls are at a greater risk of falling into the cycle of child marriage.
  4. Promote Laws to Match “International Standards” and Ensure the Implementation of the Measures: An effective strategy could be to identify countries or regions with an anti-child-marriage framework and incorporate the successes of those systems in the context of Western and Central Africa.
  5. Partner with Governments to Monitor Progress and Data: By utilizing the services of surveillance and relevant technologies of other countries, Western and Central African nations can adequately track progress to ensure that they are meeting set goals.

While the practice of child marriage in Zimbabwe has deep roots, the international community has taken notice and has a plan to reduce its prevalence. With increased empowerment and investment in young Zimbabwean girls, child marriage will soon enough become much less commonplace and eventually, experience eradication.

– Jessica Umbro
Photo: Flickr

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Preventing Harmful Practices in Malawi

Harmful Practices in MalawiDespite the enactment of the Gender Equality Act in 2013,  Malawi has much more to accomplish with respect to women’s rights. Traditional customs and harmful cultural practices are still deeply entrenched in Malawian society, leading to discrimination and marginalization of women and girls. These practices adversely affect their development, health, socioeconomic status and overall contributions to society. UNICEF defines harmful practices as discriminatory practices that transcend into communities and societies’ cultures and are viewed as acceptable. The most common harmful traditional and cultural practices include female genital mutilation (FGM), Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and child marriage. Such practices perpetuate gender inequalities, violate women’s rights and have detrimental physical and emotional effects on women. The Tilimbike Safe Community Space aims to reduce harmful practices in Malawi that affect women and girls.

Harmful Practices in Malawi

As a result of cultural practices, gender disparities remain pervasive across all aspects of society. Child marriage is a fundamental violation of human rights, with cascading consequences for young girls. For example, girls married as children are more likely to drop out of school, become teenage mothers and have higher rates of maternal mortality.

Malawi has one of the highest rates of child marriage in Africa, with the Human Rights Watch estimating that in 2020, one out of two girls will be married by the time they turn 18.

In addition to child marriage, Malawi remains a setting where gender-based violence is prevalent. One in five young women experiences sexual violence before they turn 18 and nearly 40% of married women have experienced intimate partner violence.

While adequate policies exist, the public and non-governmental sector responses have faced challenges in breaking down discriminatory cultural ideals and improving women’s rights. Harmful practices toward women continue unabated in Malawi due to the persistence of cultural attitudes. However, in rural communities, mentoring has proven to be efficacious in preventing harmful practices and empowering young girls and women.

Tilimbike Safe Community Space

The Tilimbike Safe Community Space is a mentorship program led by The Spotlight Initiative that serves at-risk girls and women in rural communities in Malawi by trying to eliminate harmful practices such as sexual and gender-based violence and child marriage. In mentorship sessions, mentors teach young girls about their basic human rights, sexual and reproductive health and other critical life skills. With this knowledge and interactions with their peers, girls are empowered to speak out and challenge harmful cultural practices.

Tilimbike Safe Community Space has 360 mentors, spanning across the high-risk districts of Dowa, Ntchisi, Mzimba, Nkatabay, Machinga and Nsanje. The program has educated and empowered more than 7,000 young women in these regions by equipping them with knowledge and skills to challenge the harmful practices that fuel GBV in their communities. The women and girls are now apt to speak out in their own communities, with crucial knowledge such as the importance of staying in school and the adverse effects of early marriage. Empowering girls and women is the first step toward change and fostering the foundation for solutions to these harmful practices.

Tilimbike During COVID-19

During COVID-19, women and girls are more confined to their homes due to school closures and travel restrictions. Therefore, they are at increased risk for GBV, teenage pregnancy and being coerced into childhood marriage. Despite the elevated risks, mentees of the Tilimbike Safe Community Space successfully prevented these harmful occurrences. Huge strides have been made to end the harmful cultural practices during COVID-19 restrictions, with no teenage pregnancies or child marriages among the mentees during the lockdown.

These women and girls have renewed hope for achieving their life goals and have enhanced their ability to make informed decisions about their lives and futures. The mentors in the Tilimbike Safe Community Space allow girls and women an opportunity to receive advice and support outside their home to reach their fullest potential. The Tilimbike Safe Community Space illuminates that mentorship programs are effective in breaking down cultural barriers and ending harmful practices.

Further Progression

Initiatives such as the Tilimbike Safe Community Space play a key role in eliminating dismantling gender disparities in society caused by cultural barriers. Mentoring and empowering women and girls will advance not just Malawi but the entire world.

– Samantha Johnson
Photo: Flickr

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Photography Fights Child Marriage

Photography Fights Child MarriageTwelve million girls a year—or 23 girls every minute—are married before their 18th birthday. The most common factors that contribute to child marriage are poverty, lack of education and gender norms. Around the world, 21% of young women were married as minors. The prevalence of child marriage is even higher in sub-Saharan Africa, at 37% of young women. Various art forms, including photography and music, have been used to advocate for the eradication of this harmful practice. Photography fights child marriage by raising awareness for this pressing issue and empowering women to take action.

Costs of Child Marriage

When young women and girls are forced to marry, they are less likely to attend school. They are separated from their family and friends, and they are also more likely to experience life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth, suffer domestic violence and contract HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, child marriage traps these girls in a cycle of poverty, in which they and their children are less able to access opportunities for education and economic empowerment.

Photography Fights Child Marriage and Empowers Girls

Too Young to Wed, a nonprofit founded in 2012 by photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair, uses photography to raise awareness of the prevalence of child marriage. This organization creates media campaigns focusing on child marriage and uses compelling photojournalism to show that the practice is a violation of human rights. The photographs have been seen by billions, and one media campaign that focused on child marriage in Nepal reached more than 9.7 million people. The photographs, alongside firsthand accounts from girls at risk of or impacted by child marriage, “inspire the global advocacy and policy-making communicates to act,” according to Sinclair.

In addition to organizing photo workshops, this organization provides leadership scholarships, vocational training and other support. The Leadership Scholarship program is especially crucial because education is vital to preventing child marriages. In the last eight years, Too Young to Wed has directly helped 600 girls, and much more indirectly, in its fight against child marriage. Sinclair told Global Citizen, “[Girls] can do all kinds of things that they can bring back to their community and then also bring them out of a level of poverty where the most extreme forms of child marriage are definitely happening.” When young women are educated, their children are more likely to be educated as well, which helps take the family out of the cycle of poverty.  Overall, Too Young to Wed uses visual evidence and storytelling to highlight the harmful impacts of child marriage, empower girls and inspire change.

Tehani Photo Workshop

Since 2016, Too Young to Wed has provided a week-long photography workshop that also functions as an immersive art therapy retreat called the Tehani Photo Workshop. Partnered with the Samburu Girls Foundation, Too Young to Wed held the first workshop in Kenya, where about 1 in 4 girls are married before the age of 18. During this workshop, 10 girls who had escaped their marriages learned how to shoot portraits, and they were able to form friendships and reclaim their narratives. To conclude the workshop, the girls presented their photographs and told their stories to more than 100 members of their community.  According to Sinclair, the workshops aim to “help [the girls] better realize their self-worth and the value of their voice.”

Music as a Tool in the Fight Against Child Marriage

In Benin, where more than 25% of girls are married before they are 18 years old, artists collaborated in 2017 to release a song and music video that highlighted this issue. UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassadors Angélique Kidjo and Zeynab Abib, along with seven other artists, composed the song as part of the national Zero Tolerance Campaign against child marriage. The song is titled “Say No to Child Marriage” and includes multiple languages so its message resonates with people within Benin and in neighboring countries. “Child marriage is a negation of children’s right to grow up free,” said Kidjo. “Every child has the right to a childhood.”

In 2019, the United Nations Children’s Fund worked with music producer Moon Boots and vocalist Black Gatsby to produce a music video to speak out against child marriage in Niger, where 76% of girls are married before the age of 18. Also, according to UNICEF, Niger has the world’s highest rate of child marriage. The song, titled “Power,” promotes education as a positive alternative that can empower girls and reduce poverty in their communities. According to a Félicité Tchibindat, a UNICEF representative in Niger, it also fights against the practice of child marriage by raising awareness that “ending child marriage is possible,” even though it is a long-held social norm.

Conclusion

Although the rates of child marriage are gradually declining worldwide, it is estimated that 120 million more girls under the age of 18 will be married by 2030 if current trends continue. The coronavirus pandemic has also put up to 13 million more girls at risk of child marriage because of rising poverty rates, school closures and hindered access to reproductive health services and resources.

Twenty-five million child marriages have been prevented in the last ten years, and UNICEF attributes the decline of the practice in part to “strong public messaging around the illegality of child marriage and the harm it causes.” While photography fights child marriage, further far-reaching and powerful art initiatives, along with the work of national governments and international organizations, can continue to raise awareness, empower girls and reduce the prevalence of this practice around the world.

– Rachel Powell
Photo: Flickr