Dhaka, 29 September, Ensuring the education, health, safety and rights of girls requires meaningful engagement and active participation from families and communities. Ahead of Girls’ Child Day 2026, Nari Unnayan Shakti and Young Women for Development Rights and Climate jointly organized a two-day training programme on 28–29 September 2026 for 20 disadvantaged mothers from the Khilgaon area of Dhaka. The training, titled “Strengthening Community Mothers’ Leadership to Prevent Child Marriage and Protect the Rights of Girls,” was held at the Nari Unnayan Shakti Training Centre in Rampura, Dhaka. The initiative was supported by Forum for Culture and Human Development and Global Work for Services.
Child marriage remains a significant challenge in Bangladesh, with serious implications for girls’ education, health, safety and future development. According to the 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF, 47.2 percent of women aged 20–24 were married before reaching the age of 18, while 13.4 percent were married before the age of 15. The same survey reported that 38.9 percent of girls aged 15–19 were currently married.
Child marriage can disrupt girls’ education and increase their exposure to early pregnancy, health risks, domestic violence and economic dependency, while limiting opportunities for their social and personal development. Against this backdrop, strengthening preventive action through the active engagement of families and local communities is essential.
The primary objective of the training was to enhance community mothers’ understanding of the causes and harmful consequences of child marriage and strengthen their capacity to take leadership in protecting girls’ rights. The training focused on identifying children at risk of child marriage, supporting girls to continue their education, understanding child rights, raising awareness within families, establishing effective communication with parents and community members, and promoting collective action at the local level.
The participating mothers expressed their commitment to playing a more active role in preventing child marriage within their families and communities. They emphasized that effective prevention requires more than law enforcement alone and depends on coordinated action involving families, local leaders, educational institutions, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and community members. They also highlighted the important role of local organizations in reaching families directly, identifying girls at risk and connecting them with relevant government services and support.
The training was facilitated by Dr. Afroja Pravin, Executive Director of Nari Unnayan Shakti; Nusrat Sultana Afroj, Executive Chairperson of Young Women for Development Rights and Climate; Mr. Abdul Momin, Executive Member of Forum for Culture and Human Development; and Selina Khatun, an official of Global Work for Services. The facilitators addressed key issues related to child marriage prevention, girls’ rights, continuation of girls’ education, family engagement and strategies for strengthening local leadership.
At the conclusion of the training, the participating mothers called upon the Government of Bangladesh to strengthen effective partnerships between government institutions, non-governmental development organizations and community-based organizations to prevent child marriage. They emphasized the importance of regular community awareness initiatives, meaningful engagement of parents, opportunities for girls to continue their education, and strengthened social and economic support for vulnerable families.
Nari Unnayan Shakti and Young Women for Development Rights and Climate recognize that effective prevention of child marriage requires families and communities to be at the centre of preventive action. Strengthening mothers’ awareness, leadership and participation at the local level can contribute to protecting girls’ rights, keeping girls in education and creating opportunities for a safer and more secure future.
The two organizations reaffirm their commitment to working in partnership with government institutions, non-governmental development organizations, civil society, local leaders, families and communities to prevent child marriage, protect the rights of girls and strengthen women’s leadership.
