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Reform laws, raise awareness to prevent child marriage

Speakers tell roundtable

Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a roundtable yesterday stressed the need for legal reform and increased social awareness to prevent child marriage.
They said as early marriage is a social problem it should be faced socially using social power structure.
The discussion titled Child marriage: Prevention and our duties' was organised jointly by Weekly 2000 and The Action Aid at Biam auditorium in thecity.
Advocate Elena Khan said contradictory laws that have been in effect in the country should be amended.
She said the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 should be amended so that the common people could play active and direct role in prevenhngchild marriage.
The drawbacks of early marriage and the provisions of legal punishment should also be incorporated into textbooks so that the children and adolescents become aware of it. sheadded
“Still we consider marriage a ticket for security of women and this attitude encourages the guardians to
get their daughters married at the age below I8)vars This attitude must be changed." said Ayesha Khanam of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.
However, there are many people who are forced to arrange child marriage due to poverty and social insecurity, she said, adding, "If we want to prevent early marriage, we must address the economic and social issues as well.
The speakers stressed the need for changing social attitude towards child marriage.
They said there is no alternative to increasing awareness in the society against early marriage and media can play an important role in this regard.
Eliminating gender discrimination and empowering the women would also help in preventing child marriage, they added.
Action Aid Country’ Director Farah Kabir was present as chief guest at the roundtable which was moderated by acting editor of the Weekly2000Moinul Ahsan Saber.
BNP Standing Committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, former lawmaker Begum
Selima Rahman, Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League Dr Dipu Moni. Chairman of Island Oikyajote Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury, psychologist Farida Akter and reporter Munni Saha of ATN also spokeontheoccasion.
Earlier, a research conducted by Action Aid covering 113 married young men and women in Six admin -
istrative divisions in the country was presented at the beginning of the discussion.
The study conducted from October to December 2007 made some recommendations for the government, donor agencies, national and international organisations to prevent child marriage.