Dhaka, Mar 11 (V7N) –Bangladesh has the highest rate of child marriage in Asia, according to a new global report titled "Girl Goals: What has changed for girls? Adolescent girls’ rights over 30 years." Released on Saturday by UNICEF, UN Women, and Plan International to mark International Women’s Day, the report underscores the critical need for urgent action to protect adolescent girls’ rights.

The study highlights the long-term benefits of investing in adolescent girls, stating that such investments contribute not only to their personal well-being but also to the economic growth and stability of their communities and nations. While improvements have been made in areas such as life expectancy, the report stresses that Bangladeshi adolescent girls continue to face significant challenges, including child marriage, gender-based violence, lack of education, and limited opportunities.

Reviewing global progress since the 1995 Beijing Declaration, the report notes that while education and healthcare for girls have improved, Bangladesh remains an outlier, with over 50% of girls still subjected to child marriage—the highest rate in Asia. Despite evidence that empowering adolescent girls generates a multiplier effect for society, they continue to lag behind their male peers in many areas. The report states that young women aged 15–24 are twice as likely to be out of education, employment, or training, and 9 out of 10 in low-income countries remain offline.

Of particular concern, the report finds that no country has yet met even half of the 16 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets essential for adolescent girls’ well-being. With only five years left to meet the 2030 SDG Agenda, the report calls for immediate and sustained efforts to accelerate progress.

“Adolescent girls in Bangladesh aspire to contribute to their country’s prosperity, yet they continue to face barriers and discrimination,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh. He emphasized the importance of digital literacy and life skills while calling for urgent action to curb child marriage and gender-based violence, which lead to early and risky pregnancies that threaten the lives of both young mothers and their children.

“This International Women’s Day, we must break barriers and create equal opportunities, ensuring girls’ voices are heard in decision-making,” Flowers added. He urged the government to invest in adolescent health services, strengthen social work infrastructure, and enhance education, nutrition, and digital skills for girls.

The report reveals that Bangladesh ranks eighth globally in child marriage prevalence and first in Asia, with 51.4% of women aged 20-24 having married before turning 18. The report highlights the lasting consequences of child marriage, which perpetuate poverty, endanger girls' health, and hinder the country’s economic growth. It further notes that 24% of Bangladeshi women in the same age group gave birth before turning 18, linking early childbirth with high maternal and infant mortality rates.

Additionally, 28% of adolescent girls aged 15-19 in Bangladesh have faced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner in the past year. Alarmingly, only 47% of married adolescent girls in this group can make independent decisions about reproductive health.

Reflecting on 30 years of the Beijing Declaration, Gitanjali Singh, UN Women’s representative in Bangladesh, acknowledged that while progress has been made, it has been slow, fragile, and uneven. “Many young girls in Bangladesh remain out of school and at risk of harmful practices and violence,” she said, calling for a collective approach to empower girls and unlock their potential.

The report also states that the secondary education completion rate for Bangladeshi girls is 59.22%, emphasizing the need for stronger efforts to meet SDG targets. Furthermore, Bangladesh is one of just seven countries where the percentage of adolescent girls and young women with digital skills remains at or below 2%.

Kabita Bose, Country Director at Plan International Bangladesh, commended Bangladesh for its efforts in reducing adolescent birth rates, expanding access to skilled birth attendants, and increasing girls’ participation in the workforce. However, she stressed that significant challenges remain, particularly in education quality, digital literacy, and ensuring safe mobility for girls in public spaces.

"Much remains to be done to eliminate child, early, and forced marriages, enhance access to sexual and reproductive health rights, and create a safe environment for girls," Bose said. Plan International remains committed to empowering young women under its initiative “All Girls Standing Strong Creating Global Change.”

Despite ongoing challenges, the report notes that global life expectancy for 15-year-old girls has increased to 79.1 years, reflecting progress in health and well-being. New initiatives, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine campaign, have also played a critical role in safeguarding girls' health in Bangladesh, helping prevent cervical cancer—a disease that claims thousands of lives each year. In 2023-24, UNICEF supported an HPV vaccination drive that successfully immunized 93% of eligible girls across the country.

The report calls for urgent action in key areas, including:

  • Amplifying adolescent girls’ voices and increasing their representation in advocacy and leadership.
  • Closing the education, skills, and training gap, with a strong focus on digital literacy.
  • Implementing data-driven strategies to address the most pressing needs of adolescent girls, particularly economic empowerment.

With only five years remaining to achieve the 2030 SDG targets, experts stress that immediate policy changes and increased investments are crucial to ensuring a better future for adolescent girls in Bangladesh.

 

 

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