Day of Child Protection against Violence and Child Marriages

Children from the KMMS and GAPS boarding school have been involved in the child marriage initiative and are now spreading information on children's rights in their communities.

Child marriages and child protection are a debatable and red-hot topic in many countries, from Bangladesh to Florida. As Bangladesh is a less developing country with a low standard of economy, only a few families can give their children real education, which is extremely important for the future of the family and the country's development. According to UNICEF surveys, 65% of the 20-24 year old women were married in Bangladesh between 2005 and 2013 before the age of 18. At the same time, 29% of girls under 15 (UNICEF, 2014) were married. Therefore, Bangladesh is rated on the 4th place within a child marriage ranking right after Niger, the Central African Republic and Chad.

In Bangladesh itself, child marriages are seen negatively. They usually occur in the poorest families. Teenage girls can be perceived as financial burden of the family. There is still a tradition in the countryside that parents pay a small dowry to a younger girl. The reasons are many and are mainly related to the poverty and position of women in a society. In recent months, the European Union has officially condemned any marriage with an unaccompanied minor as violation of the rights of the child and as one of the violence forms against women and girls. The Czech MEP Jiří Pospíšil proposes that the fight against child marriages should be included in the requirements of EU diplomacy when providing assistance to the third world countries.

In response to the current issue, the KMMS residential school in collaboration with the BCSS support Bangladesh children's organization, organized an all-day student program to inform children about their rights as well as their responsibilities. It is very important for the children to know their rights and to know where to go to in case of violence or imminent forced marriage at a minor age. And as a school play is the best way how to learn, kids have tried out various activities. The lecturers told children about real stories, and the children discussed them in small groups and shared their feelings, opinions, personal experiences as well as testimonies. Finally, the last activity of the entire program was a procession leading around the school.

At the nearby GAPS school, students devoted themselves to the same subject. Under the guidance of director and educational advisor, children were supposed to create a plan on how the children can defend their rights and how to maintain or defend themselves in a threatening situation. And what is most valuable, the kids put theory into practice during the real scenarios. How well they did, you can see in a photo gallery.

Educational activities at the KMMS and GAPS schools have a far greater meaning than just informing children about their rights. Being aware of own possibilities, students will be able to spread these attitudes both within their family and friends, which can have a positive impact on perceiving child marriages in a local community.

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PS: You can help children as well. Just send them to school. :)

More information about program Support BanglaKids