| "Compelled by financial
struggles and cultural norms, girls in Bangladesh often
enter into marriage well before their eighteenth
birthday, sometimes when they are barely teenagers. When
a girl enters marriage without the psychological
maturity necessary to manage her relationship with her
husband and in-laws, or the physical maturity necessary
to cope with pregnancy, it puts her at a disadvantage
for life. She is less able to negotiate crucial aspects
of her life, such as the use of contraception, with her
husband. Pregnancy can have devastating affects for both
the other and child when the mother’s body is not yet
mature. To address the problem of early marriage and the
issues surrounding it, Pathfinder
International/Bangladesh designed the model program,
Raising the Age of Marriage for Young Girls in
Bangladesh. The three-year project was launched in July
2003 with support from an anonymous donor, and closed at
the end of June 2006. Through education, the project
empowers girls to take control of their futures. The
three aspects of the program—primary and secondary
school support, advocacy, and vocational
training—combine to help girls overcome the hurdles that
prevent them from finishing school, finding employment,
and delaying marriage until they are ready. The project
targeted the neediest girls within five upazilas
(subdistricts) of Kishoreganj, one of the poorest areas
of Bangladesh." (Pathfinder International, July 2006)
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