Lawmakers’ role stressed in ending child marriage
The MPs stressed on raising awareness about it and involvement of all concerned in this regard
Youths called upon lawmakers to play their role in ending child marriage by motivating fathers and ensuring Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).
They made the call at a virtual view exchange meeting with lawmakers under Save the Children's youth advocacy project for ensuring SRHR for all and ending child marriage, held on Sunday, said a press release.
Youths said they are alarmed at increasing violence against women and children in the country as incidents of child marriage and rape increased further during Covid-19 pandemic.
Under the circumstances, youth changemakers have urged lawmakers to enact laws and policies aimed at ending child marriage and ensuring SRHR for youths.
They also placed some demands, including taking special steps to motivate fathers in ending child marriage and ensuring SRHR for youths, especially for indigenous, transgender and ethnic people.
The demands also include taking steps for eradicating misconception about SRHR and include the matter of SRHR into curriculum, and raising countrywide awareness campaigns in this regard.
Six parliament members—Aparajita Haque, Advocate Khodeza Nasreen Akhter Hossain, Dr Samil Uddin Ahmed Shimul, Umme Fatema Nazma Begum, Tamanna Nusrat, and Advocate Adiba Anjum Mita—attended the event.
At the discussion, the MPs supported the demands of the youths and stressed on raising awareness about it and involvement of all concerned in this regard.
Engage Men and Boys (EMB) Network Bangladesh, a forum of Save the Children, organised the programme.
Project Director & Gender Advisor of Save the Children Umme Salma moderated the programme.
EMB members Musfiqur Rahman Sabbir and Habibur Rahman and National Change Maker of SRHR and Ending Child Marriage project Sohanur Rahman, among others, also spoke.
