Youth Voices Take Centre Stage Against Child Marriage
What happens when young people get the space to tell their own stories? Sometimes, a photograph can open the door to a story, and a story can start a conversation that makes a community stop and reflect. Young people used photography and storytelling to share their experiences and perspectives on child marriage at the community Photovoice exhibition “She Speaks Through the Lens – Youth Photovoice Against Child Marriage”, held on 28 September at Machan, Korail, Dhaka.
It was more than an exhibition of photographs. Developed in the context of Korail, Dhaka the Photovoice initiative brought forward experiences of adolescent girls and young women around education, marriage, family, responsibilities, relationships, social pressure, dreams and their hopes for the future.
Visitors had the opportunity to view the photographs, hear the stories behind them and reflect on the realities of child marriage within their own communities. The participation of young people, community members, youth representatives and guests created a space where youth-led stories could reach a wider community and encourage conversation around child marriage.
As a RedOrange Limited’s representative, Jannatul Nayma Nafsi, Project Associate of Youth Share Net project, supported by Amplify Change, attended the event. She highlighted three serious consequences of child marriage: it can disrupt adolescents’ education and future opportunities, create health risks, and limit their ability to make decisions about their own lives and futures.
She emphasised the role of families in listening to adolescents and respecting their views, while also stressing the shared responsibility of teachers, communities, organisations and young people to create a safe and supportive environment where adolescents can speak openly and seek help when needed.
The exhibition came at a significant moment in the global movement against child marriage. On 4 September 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing 27 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, providing a new global platform to strengthen action for the protection, education and rights of children.
The stories came from Korail, but the questions they raised go beyond Korail. The exhibition offered a reminder that preventing child marriage is not the responsibility of one family alone. It requires families, communities and young people to listen, engage and act together.
Most importantly, the initiative demonstrated the value of putting young people at the centre of conversations about issues that directly shape their lives and futures.
