Peer-reviewed article
Harmful practices prevail despite legal knowledge: a mixed-method study on the paradox of child marriage in Bangladesh
Sayema Akter, Chloe Williams, Animesh Talukder, Muhammed Nazmul Islam, Juanita Vasquez Escallon et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined why child marriage continues in Bangladesh despite laws against it and legal knowledge among communities. Researchers interviewed adolescents aged 10-19 and their parents across three districts, finding that while respondents knew marriage laws and penalties, the practice persisted due to social norms, poverty, dowry practices, and sexual harassment. The research highlights a paradox: legal knowledge alone does not prevent child marriage without addressing underlying social and economic drivers and improving law enforcement.
Key points
- All respondents were aware of the legal age of marriage and knew that child marriage is punishable by law
- Child marriage persists despite legal knowledge due to lack of law enforcement and persistent social norms
- Reasons for child marriage include poverty, dowry, sexual harassment, and early marriage among boys
- Social norms have a significant impact on attitudes toward child marriage
- Structural and cultural changes are needed, requiring community and policymaker engagement
Limitations
The study was limited to three districts in Bangladesh and does not provide information about the effectiveness of interventions to address child marriage or quantify the prevalence of the practice. The document does not detail the specific characteristics of the media programme being evaluated or its outcomes.
Abstract
Child marriage is a globally recognised human rights violation that disproportionately affects girls, especially in developing countries. It has serious negative consequences on girls' physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health and rights. Although well-pronounced laws against child marriage were enacted in Bangladesh, the practice remains a significant challenge. Lack of law enforcement and persistent social norms ultimately allow child marriage to persist around the country. Social norms have an impact on the prevalent attitudes toward child marriage. Therefore, this mixed-method study aimed to explore the legal knowledge, perception, and practice of child marriage in Bangladesh. This study was part of a broader evaluation of a UNICEF media programme. Adolescent boys and girls aged between 10 and 19 years and their parents were interviewed in three Bangladeshi districts. All the respondents were aware of the legal age of marriage and knew that child marriage is punishable by law. This study illuminated the reasons, including early marriage among boys, poverty, dowry, and sexual harassment. Communities and policymakers need to be engaged to trigger larger structural and cultural changes to remedy the harmful social norm and its practice.