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Child marriage and repression declined last year: BSAF


Published : 08 Jan 2020 08:49 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 07:22 PM

Due to various government initiatives and awareness programmes the tendency of early marriage and child repression marked a sharp fall across the country last year.
Non-governmental organization (NGO) Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) in its annual report revealed this. BSAF published the report through a discussion meeting at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman Nasima Begum attended the programme as the chief guest. She said that parents, relatives, neighbours as well as the whole society should be aware to reduce child marriage and repression.
Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school. Child marriage affects a girl’s health and future. It also imposes substantial economic cost at the national level, too, with major implications on development and prosperity, the NHRC chairman added.
According to the report published by BSAF, on average, 37 children fell prey of unnatural death per month last year. The reasons behind these deaths were family violence, trivial incidents, parents’ cruelty, dowry and some other social untoward activities.
Sexual harassment of children increased alarmingly in 2019, which increased by 70.32 percent than it was in 2018, the report added.
Repression and cruelty on children declined to 3.32 percent last year. Some 219 children were tortured in various occurrences. Of them, 89 children were tortured by their teachers, 16 child domestic helps were tortured by their employers while 12 children were victim of acid attack.
At least 144 child marriages were arranged by their parents or guardians while the government authorities concerned saved 126 children by taking immediate action. Early marriage has declined to 30.77 percent last year, the report further said.