Press release
Slow progress for adolescent girls in Bangladesh, including highest Child Marriage rate in Asia – UNICEF, UN Women and Plan International
Dhaka, 8 March 2025 – A new global report, " Girl Goals: What has changed for girls? Adolescent girls’ rights over 30 years, " released today by UNICEF, UN Women, and Plan International to mark the International Women’s Day, recognizes the benefits to communities that invest in girls, particularly adolescent girls...
Statement
Statement attributable to Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, on the protection and safeguarding of girls by law enforcement and media
DHAKA, February 10, 2025 – Whenever a child uses social media, they access a world of information, entertainment, and invaluable opportunities for learning and connection – but also potential dangers. Such was the case recently, in Bangladesh, where an 11-year-old girl, went missing after being contacted on social media by an adult man. She was…
Press release
UNFPA and UNICEF renew their pledge to support Bangladesh in ending child marriage
DHAKA, 14 December – With a focus on saving girls´ lives, the Steering Committee of the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage (the Global Programme) visited Bangladesh from 8 to 12 December underscoring an urgent call to action to eliminate child marriage in Bangladesh, one of the world’s most affect...
Article
Finding the courage to refuse child marriage
When she was barely a teenager, Azida found herself at the crossroads of tradition and personal dreams. Hailing from a family that once flourished in Myanmar, the refugee camp’s challenges – notably the scarcity of land for agriculture – and the widely held notion that a girls’ future should be secured through mar...
Press release
Bangladesh government steps up efforts to end child marriage, reaching over 6 million nationwide, supported by UNFPA and UNICEF
DHAKA, 5 June 2024 – The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in Bangladesh, in collaboration with UNFPA and UNICEF, launched today the Phase III of the joint Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM). Set to run till 2030, the Global Programme targets the most marginalized communities across the country an...
Article
Courage over fear: Surviving child abuse and violence
In Barishal Sadar's Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Industrial Zone, the harsh realities of poverty weigh heavily on its residents, where marginalized families struggle to make ends meet. In the face of poverty, many families cannot provide the basic needs for their children, leaving th...
Press release
The Government, with UNICEF support, accelerates efforts in combating violence against children and child marriage in Bangladesh
DHAKA, 11 March 2024 - The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), with technical support of UNICEF, today launched the "National Multimedia Campaign on Prevention of Violence Against Children (VAC) and Child Marriage (CM).” The initiative is a part of the ongoing efforts of the Accelerating Protection for...
Article
Painting with purpose
The narrow, muddy alleyways of Korail slum in Dhaka lead to a small room packed with about 40 children. The mood inside this room with tin walls is happy and cheerful, oblivious to the otherwise gloomy surroundings. Nine-year-old Mim and her friends watch a series of images projected on the wall. Pictures from Ban...
Article
“My mother got married when she was just 13 and she did not want that life for me”
“My mother got married when she was just 13 and she did not want that life for me,” says Tahmina. “I am the eldest of my siblings, but I would have had an older brother. He died just as he was born, because my mother was too young to have a baby,” she says. Yet six months back, this 16-year-old girl from Ukhiya in...
Press release
Global polycrisis creating uphill battle to end child marriage – UNICEF
NEW YORK/DHAKA, 3 May 2023 – Despite a steady decline in child marriage in the last decade, multiple crises including conflict, climate shocks, and the ongoing fallout from COVID-19 are threatening to reverse hard-earned gains, according to a new analysis issued by UNICEF today. “The world is engulfed by crises on...
Article
Tanzila is back on the small screen to kick out gender inequality
In a society that is riddled with gender inequalities, girls are succeeding on many fronts, giving hope that perhaps the tide might be turning for Bangladeshi girls and women. The success of TV show Icchedana, featuring the fictional character Tanzila, is part of this positive trend. Tanzila and her friends in an ...
Press release
Tanzila battles gender stereotypes on and off the football field as Icchedana returns
DHAKA, 13 September 2022 – Icchedana, a drama series about a group of Bangladeshi adolescent girls who triumph over gender stereotypes and society’s restrictions, marks its highly-anticipated return to the small screen tomorrow. Season 3 of the show continues the story of Tanzila, her all-girl football team and th...