Creating Space to Take Action on Violence against Women and Girls Project (Creating Spaces) Conduct Research to Generate Evidence on Key Themes (Early and Forced Marriage) Scope of Study

Amrai Pari Paribarik Nirjaton Protirodh Jot (WE CAN) started its journey as South Asian campaign WE CAN in Bangladesh on 2004 and on 2011 emerged as platform and take the registration as organization. Amrai Pari is a collective platform of citizen groups, organizations, individuals, institutions and others aiming at ending violence against women and its goal is to enhance the process of gender equality at family, society and state and make Bangladesh safer for women by bringing a positive shift in attitudes, beliefs and practices that support violence against women.

The Creating Spaces to Take Action on Violence against Women and Girls project (Creating Spaces), funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) aims to reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG) and reduce the prevalence of child, early and forced marriage (CEFM). The project will be implemented in six countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Philippines.

The overall project framework revolves around three pillars:

i. Pillar 1: Engaging key community actors to support and promote positive gender norms.
ii. Pillar 2: Supporting women and girls who have experienced violence.
iii. Pillar 3: Building knowledge and capacity of institutions and alliances to influence change.

Background

According to UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children (2011), one-third of women aged 20-24 in Bangladesh are married by the age of 15 and about two-thirds by the age of 18. A recent study by ACPR, ICDDR,B & Plan Bangladesh 2012 shows an improving trend, with 64 per cent of women in the 20-24 age group married before 18 years of age. A higher proportion of women (71 per cent) in rural areas are married before 18 years of age, compared to 54 per cent of women in urban areas. The study also shows strong associations among child marriage, education and economic status, with higher rates of child marriage among women with low or no education and for those from families living in poverty. There has been only a very slight increase in the average girl’s age for marriage, from 16 years in 2004 to 16.4 in 2007.

Research will cover following questions:

What are the existing laws, policies, strategies and services around early and forced marriage in Bangladesh?
What are the core challenges face to implement laws, policies, strategies and services around early and forced marriage in Bangladesh?
What are the core advocacy issues relating to laws, policies, strategies and services around early and forced marriage in Bangladesh?
What are the other factors to promote early and forced marriage in Bangladesh?

Objectives of the Study:

To explore attitudinal/behavioral factors for implementing the existing laws, policies and practices of Early and Forced Marriage.
To find out the root causes of applied strategies and implementing obstacles of laws, policies on Early and Forced Marriage.
To explore long term impacts of laws, policies, strategies and services of Early Marriage at personal and community level.
To identify with diversify influencing factors to promote Early and Forced Marriages which not cover by law, policies, strategies and services.

Methodology:

The study will be based on secondary information review, primary information covering quantitative and qualitative data relating to law, policies, strategies and services. Primary quantitative data will gather from survey or questioner interview. Primary qualitative data will gather from case study, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with respective government departments, girls and boys, parents and community leaders. Case study will cover factors and underlying causes of early marriage. Focus group discussions will cover influencing factors and their effect on early and forced marriage. These will include changing trends among girls and boys, the aspirations of young persons and parents, perceptions on the importance of laws and implementation on child marriage, the causes of child and forced marriage, and knowledge about adherence to marriage laws. The study will be focus on child and forced marriage among girls, who are affected by this practice more than boys in both prevalence and severity of consequences and their parents.