Government officials, development partners and civil society members pledged a united front to end child marriage at a strategic seminar held on Friday at Hotel Sea-Gull.
Organized by World Vision Bangladesh and the Centre for Qualitative Research, the coordination meeting focused on two major initiatives with the ‘Big Dream’ and ‘Child Safety Net Project’ aiming to eradicate child marriage and achieve target goals by 2027.
Chief Guest Md. Azahar Uddin, Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner described child marriage as a cruel violation of fundamental human rights. He affirmed that local administration would maintain strict legal action alongside driving social awareness also pledging full administrative support to such initiatives.
Presenting the keynote paper the Project Manager Sagar D’Costa emphasized that child protection requires a collective social shield rather than individual effort. Presiding over the event Ronald Prabir Chisik, Senior Manager of World Vision Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar Operations called on all stakeholders to protect adolescents' potential.
Special guests were District Primary Education Officer Mohammad Golam Mostafa, Islamic Foundation Deputy Director Mohammad Sarwar Akbar and representatives from health, youth, and women’s affairs departments stressed empowering girls through education. They called for a unified social movement involving teachers, religious leaders, media, guardians and youth.
In an open dialogue headteachers, Union Parishad chairmen, journalists and youth forum members highlighted grassroots realities which World Vision representatives addressed. Officials including Mobilization Officer Partha Pratim Bagchi and Advocacy Coordinator Jayashree Purification were also present.
