Brotee announces 100 villages as child marriage-free

Non-government organization Brotee Samaj Kallyan Sangstha on Saturday claimed that 100 villages of Rajshahi and Naogaon districts have been made child marriage-free. According to the NGO,it has been working in the selected villages since 2008, when child marriage was prevalent in these areas. However,by 2016 and 2017they thensuccessfully resolved all cases of child marriage in those areas. The organization has also claimed to have induced a significant decline in dowry marriages, claiming to have reduced as much as 90% of it. In 2017, a total of 185 marriages were held in their areas of activity, and all of them were held without dowry. The NGO brought up these findings at a paper sharing meeting at Bangla Academy. The success came from a Brotee-run awareness program that has taken place every week in villages where the NGO is active.The programconsists of a group of representatives running what is called a “GonoKriyaGobeshona”(GKG),or a Methodology for Social Transformation, speakers said. Young boys and girls aged between14-25 workedto mobilize villages to create awareness through village meetings andhouse meetings with the villagers. They went door to door to raise awarenessaboutthe negative effects of child marriage and violence against women, saidBrotee officials. Anita Roy, a GKG member of Naogaon’sTanoreupazila, is a housewife who is also a child marriage victim. “I feel proud because we can finally stop this harmful practice. Now the people of my village people know that child marriage is harmful, so every girl gets to go to school and families do not force them into early marriage,” said Anita. “When child marriage and dowry practice are significantly reduced, violence on girls is perceived more clearly by the community. Violence on women in these 100 villages has also significantly reduced,” said Sharmeen S Murshid, innovator and managing director ofBrotee. Sharmeen also said: “Our 10-member‘GonoGobeshok Dals’ build human resource. We provide training in participatory actions,and research and analytical skill. The trainees are then able to identify the problem, prioritize, analyze, and search for solutions.” M Hamid, formerdirector general of Bangladesh Television said the village action research team can be content with their performance because the reduction in child marriage has improved our village’s social fabric and boosted educations skills, economic development, and well-being. “When people become aware,violence against women also sees a decline. Though the problems have multiple affects, it is possible to reduce them.”