�Early marriage barrier to women empowerment�

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki yesterday said early marriage to be a major barrier to women empowerment but said efforts were underway to prevent the phenomenon, reports BSS.
"Empowerment of women is one of the present government's priorities and early marriage is the main hindrance to women empowerment," she told the launching ceremony of a project aimed to protect rights of married adolescent girls at Gulshan Spectra Convention Centre in the capital.
Chumki regretted that despite a good law against early marriage and campaigns to prevent such under age nuptial cords, 68 per cent of the girls get married before the age of 18.
"National development not possible without proper development of women, who constitute half of the population . . . and early marriage is definitely bars women development," she said.
But, the state minister said, the government was pledge-bound to prevent early marriage while it indentified the causes of early marriage and undertaken extensive action plans to address those.
She said while poverty was a major cause to encourage early marriage, social insecurity, illiteracy and traditional mentality were also responsible for the phenomenon.
"The government is working to remove these problems and becoming successful," she added.
Presided over by Netherlands Embassy Reproductive Health Affairs Secretary Ella De Voogd, the function was attended by Ain O Shalish Kendra Chief Sultana Kamal, Health Secretary Manzurul Islam, Netherlands Embassy Charge'd Affair Marline Van Hoogstraten and Red Organge Media and Communication Managing Director Arnab Chakravartee, said an official release.

 

�Early marriage barrier to women empowerment�

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki yesterday said early marriage to be a major barrier to women empowerment but said efforts were underway to prevent the phenomenon, reports BSS. Empowerment of women is one of the present governments priorities and early marriage is the main hindrance to women empowerment, she told the launching ceremony of a project aimed to protect rights of married adolescent girls at Gulshan Spectra Convention Centre in the capital. Chumki regretted that despite a good law against early marriage and campaigns to prevent such under age nuptial cords, 68 per cent of the girls get married before the age of 18. National development not possible without proper development of women, who constitute half of the population . . . and early marriage is definitely bars women development, she said. But, the state minister said, the government was pledge-bound to prevent early marriage while it indentified the causes of early marriage and undertaken extensive action plans to address those. She said while poverty was a major cause to encourage early marriage, social insecurity, illiteracy and traditional mentality were also responsible for the phenomenon. The government is working to remove these problems and becoming successful, she added. Presided over by Netherlands Embassy Reproductive Health Affairs Secretary Ella De Voogd, the function was attended by Ain O Shalish Kendra Chief Sultana Kamal, Health Secretary Manzurul Islam, Netherlands Embassy Charged Affair Marline Van Hoogstraten and Red Organge Media and Communication Managing Director Arnab Chakravartee, said an official release.