From Shadows to Strength: Education Lights the Path for Girls to Defy Child Marriage in Bangladesh’s Slums
“I want to keep studying. I don’t want to get married.”— A Bangladeshi girl who narrowly escaped child marriage. Her words pierced my heart, reminding us that only five years remain until the UN’s 2030 goal to end child marriage. On this return visit to Bangladesh, I witnessed how fate quietly descends upon every adolescent girl—girls who should be free to explore themselves and dream of the future are instead forced to choose between marriage and education, trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, early pregnancy, and domestic violence.
Yet in the narrow alleys of the slums, I also saw glimmers of hope. Despite the harsh conditions, girls held fast to their dreams—fighting back against the looming threat of child marriage with nothing but grit and unwavering determination.
Sponsor a Girl with HK$8/Day, Rescue Child Brides Together
The Highest Child Marriage Rate in Asia, 51% of Girls Become Wives Before Adulthood
Globally, over 12 million girls are forced into marriage before the age of 18 each year, losing their right to choose their own path. According to UN reports, despite efforts to combat child marriage, progress remains slow due to the pandemic, climate change, and other factors. At this rate, it may take another 300 years to eliminate child marriage fully.
In July, I returned to Bangladesh—the country with the highest child marriage rate in Asia—to understand the barriers and challenges to ending child marriage and to witness the impact of Plan International’s work in promoting girls’ rights.
Although the Bangladeshi government has legislated that the legal age for marriage is 18, poverty, gender inequality, and deeply rooted traditions continue to fuel the practice. 51% of girls marry before 18, and 15% marry before 15. For these girls, marriage is not the beginning of happiness but a burden of fate—dropping out of school, early pregnancy, and domestic abuse become their reality long before they understand love or life.
Child Brides Become Mothers Too Soon, Early Pregnancy Takes a Harsh Toll
I recall meeting 16-year-old Khadija in the crowded slums of Bangladesh years ago. Her story was heartbreaking. “I was only 11 when my parents arranged for me to marry a man I had never met,” she whispered, her voice heavy with pain. She left school and childhood behind, and by 13, she was pregnant—her body still too young to bear a child. After giving birth, she devoted herself to caring for her baby, but without proper care or rest, her health deteriorated. She suffered from chronic underweight, vomiting, and dizziness.
“My life is just housework and childcare,” she said, her tone numb. I remember her frail figure—her young face, which should have been full of hope, was instead marked by exhaustion and resignation. When I shared a candy with her three-year-old daughter, I also gave one to Khadija, Khadija’s face lit up with a pure, youthful smile. I was struck by the realisation: Khadija, a mother, was still just a girl herself. Seeing her expression filled me with sorrow, knowing that her own youth had been stolen by child marriage.
Despite her shattered dreams and suffering, Khadija still held onto a sliver of hope: “I hope my daughter won’t follow my path. I want her to study and chase her dreams.”
Sponsor a Girl with HK$8/Day, Rescue Child Brides Together
Education as a Turning Point Against Child Marriage
During this visit, I saw how education can transform a girl’s life. In a slum community, I met 15-year-old Borsha. Her resilience and courage moved me deeply. She lost her father at five months old, and her mother works as a cleaner, earning just 330 taka (about HK$21) a day to support the family. The slum is rife with danger—drug deals lurk at corners, bathing spaces lack privacy, and floods invade their home during the monsoon season. “Street boys often harass girls. I’m afraid to go out alone,” she said timidly. It’s heartbreaking to see girls grow up in such unsafe conditions. Yet despite the hardship, Borsha never let go of her dreams. She continues to write her dreams with determination.
Yet the threat of child marriage remains ever-present. Neighbours and relatives urged Borsha’s mother to arrange her marriage to ease the family’s financial burden. But Borsha stood firm: “I want to keep studying. I don’t want to get married.” Thankfully, her mother chose to stand up for her, resisting outside pressure and supporting her daughter’s education. With support from Plan International’s “Child Sponsorship Programme,” Borsha received scholarships and school supplies; her donor from Finland regularly encourages her to pursue her dreams and reject child marriage. “I often write letters to my sponsor to share my life. He always tells me to study hard and chase my dreams!” she said with a radiant smile, her eyes shining with hope and strength.
Today, Borsha ranks among the top ten students in her class. “I want to become a teacher,” she told me firmly, “to help more girls chase their dreams and say ‘no’ to child marriage.” Her story is a powerful testament: when someone believes in a girl’s potential, she can rewrite her destiny and light up the world.
Borsha’s story deeply moved me and made me realise the value of education—it is the power to give girls the right to choose and the freedom to dream. I hope Borsha will one day become a teacher, inspiring more girls to rewrite their destinies through knowledge.
Sponsor a Girl with HK$8/Day, Rescue Child Brides Together
Empowering Youth to Speak Out. Former Sponsored Child Now Give Back
Plan International believes education is the key to ending child marriage. We have been actively carrying out different anti-child marriage projects in developing countries for many years. To protect vulnerable girls and uphold their right to education, we provide scholarships and learning supplies to ensure they stay in school and remain free from the threat of child marriage. We also nurture youth to become changemakers who raise awareness and advocate for girls’ rights within their communities.
In the slums of Bangladesh, we have nurtured 75 boys and girls who have formed youth groups that speak out against child marriage by organising workshops for parents, leading community discussions, and challenging harmful traditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the risk of child marriage surged, the youth ambassadors helped prevent 13 child marriage cases and enabled the girls to continue their education.
Youth ambassadors Saiful and Monika once faced the threat of dropping out. With the financial aid from Plan International, they stayed in school. Experiencing the bitterness of interrupted education, they now dedicate themselves to helping others, supporting girls at risk of child marriage.
We actively advocate for policy reform and stronger enforcement against child marriage, working hand in hand with local governments to build lasting, systemic protections. At the community level, we work closely with parents, forming “Child Protection Committees” with over 3,500 members. These parents write and perform anti-child marriage plays, hold activities, and post awareness materials—spreading the message to every corner. Touchingly, many committee members were once sponsored children themselves. They proudly share: “Because someone once helped me stay in school, I now have the ability to give back and protect others.” Thanks to their efforts, one region has reduced its child marriage rate to just 1%—a remarkable achievement that shows the power of community.
Seeing former sponsored children grow into independent adults, achieving self-resilience and giving back to their communities, is deeply moving. It’s not just the result of education—it’s the continuation of hope.
In Bangladesh, countless girls still live under the shadow of child marriage, waiting for the opportunity for their fate to be rewritten. They long for freedom, education, and dignity—and your support can be the gateway to that hope. We warmly invite you to join our Child Sponsorship Programme as a monthly donor, empowering more girls to break free from the cycle of child marriage, reclaim their right to choose, and build a future shaped by knowledge, hope, and possibility. You can also make a one-time donation to the Girls Fund, offer scholarships and parenting sessions to educate parents on the harmful effects of child marriage, enabling girls to pursue education and avoid becoming child brides.
Sponsor a Girl with HK$8/Day, Rescue Child Brides Together
Plan International’s Anti-Child Marriage Project in Bangladesh (one-off Donation)
- Donate HK$300: Provide 3 girls with a one-month scholarship
- Donate HK$600: Provide 6 girls with a one-month scholarship
- Donate HK$1,000: Provide 1 girl with a six-month scholarship and arrange 3 parenting sessions for 18 parents to learn about the harmful impacts of child marriage
- Donate HK$2,500: Provide 3 girls with a six-month scholarship and arrange 5 parenting sessions for 30 parents to learn about the harmful impacts of child marriage
- Donate HK$5,000:Provide 6 girls with a six-month scholarship and arrange 10 parenting sessions for 60 parents about the harmful impacts of child marriage
