Sazia Afrin, Dhaka: Youths called for more active role to be played by men especially fathers for ending child marriage in the country.

Economic development, empowerment of women and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be hampered if such marriage cannot be stopped. Our society is male-dominated, hence males can play an important role to end child marriage, they said.

Though there is Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017, child marriage is taking place mainly in slum and rural areas, they said, while addressing a virtual press conference, organized by Save the Children, Secretariat of Engage Men and Boys (EMB) Network Bangladesh in the capital on Thursday.

The event was held as part of EMB network’s Youth advocacy project for ensuring the right to sexual reproductive health for all and ending child marriage.

As fathers take the family’s decision, so it is very important to change their mentality regarding the early marriage, which can have massive negative effect if not checked, they added.

Referring to importance of ensuring Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for the youths, they said youths are entitled to it. As taboo is prevailing over the issue, awareness campaign involving all concerned need to be launched for eradicating the taboo, they observed.

If awareness on SRHR is created, it would help reduce early marriage as well as violence against women, ultimately benefiting the society. Coordination between the public and private initiatives is needed, they said, urging the mass media to play their due role in this regard.

The youths called on the policymakers to take up specific programmes and policies for preventing child marriage and ensuring SRHR for the youths, especially for all indigenous, transgender and ethnic minority communities based on their requirements.

Umme Salma, Project Director, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights for All and End Child Marriage with Caring Masculinities Project & EMB Network & Gender Advisor of Save the Children; Habibur Rahman, Steering Committee Member, Bangladesh and South Asia; Sohanu Rahman, National Change Maker of SRHR4ALL&EndChildMarriage Project; Musfiqur Rahman Sabbir, Steering Committee member of the Network; and others addressed the press conference.