Balika Badhu – Telling of a Heartbreaking Child Marriage Story

Bangladesh has the fourth highest number of child marriage in the world.  64% of all girls are married off by the time they are 18.  There is very little enforcement of the laws preventing child marriage, often times, families willingly marry off their daughters with fake birth certificates and documents.

At a recent Share-Net Bangladesh expert meeting, participants indicated that more than economic reasons, parents are agreeing to early marriage due to increasing violence and social instability.  Parents feel that marriage provides a form of “protection” to their daughters.  Yet studies show that young married girls are more likely to be victims of abuse by both their partners and in-laws.  They have little to no decision making power regarding their health, education, food/nutrition, or their sexual reproductive choices in when to have children or how many.

Allison Joyce an American photographer based in Bangladesh, brings a heart-breaking photo-story of a 15 year old girl getting married to a 32 year old:

http://mashable.com/2015/08/29/bangladeshs-child-bride-problem/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/bangladesh-child-marriage-15-year-old-girls-heartbreaking-wedding-photos-1516832