Plan Bangladesh 2017-2022

Plan International Bangladesh implemented the project titled Building Better Future for Girls (BBFG) in 9 (nine) upazilas of Kurigram district during April 2017 to March 2022 in partnership with a national NGO Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS). The project aimed to contribute to Kurigram districts target of zero marriages of girls under 15 and one-third reduction in marriages of girls under 18 by 2021. The project applied a mix of behaviour change strategies, actions with key child protection system mechanisms and the strengthening and use of government accountability mechanisms to bring about change. The endline evaluation compared results towards the projects completion with the baseline held in 2017. Regarding the outcome related to protection from child marriage and other harmful practices, the prevalence rate of marriage of girls aged 15-19 years before the age of 15 in Kurigram was found to be 6.2% compared to the baseline of 16.8%. The percentage of women aged 20-24 years who are married before age of 18 years was found to be 51.3% compared to the baseline value of 64.7%. About two-thirds of marriage registers, marriage solemnizers, and matchmakers, took steps against child marriage compared to less than half found in baseline. Majority of them (82%) did counseling/advocating about adverse effects of child marriage, 72% did awareness raising, 48% gave legal education/informed about the law and 26% reported cases/informed police/Upazila administration (UNO). Nearly three-fourth Kazis reported cases of child marriage while 14% religious marriage solemnizers and 26% matchmakers reported cases to Police or upazila administration. The BBFG project helped to develop a community-based child protection mechanism along with the government authorised ones. In this regard, the project strengthened the committees for prevention of child marriage at ward levels along with Youth Forums, a committee with the youth. Under the Child Marriage Restrain Act 2016, Child Marriage Prevention Committees (CMPCs) at union, Upazila and district level was formed by Department of Women Affairs with the guidance from district administration. This is the key committee for responsible to prevent child marriage and this committee is responsible to develop and implement child marriage prevention plan at different levels. Most of the committees at union level in Kurigram district were formed within May 2018 to May 2020. Regarding the functionality of the union committee to prevent child marriage. Members unformed that the committee received assistance and guidance from the police and local administration. The committee members shared what they conveyed in the awareness meetings with the parents. The project tried to make the people aware about the importance of birth registration and encouraged them to do so, particularly for girls within 45 days of birth. The baseline data showed birth registration rate within 45 days in Kurigram for girls under 5 years of age was only 5% and for boys 4%. This had increased to 14% and 18% respectively. Although the rate of birth registration was increasing, still 60% of the children were not registered in the project area.

The overarching intended outcome of the project is: “To contribute to Kurigram district’s target of zero marriages of girls under 15, and one third reduction in marriages of girls under 18, by 2021.” Under this overall goal, there are three main outcomes: 1) Girls are protected from child marriage and other harmful gender norms and practice to determine their own futures. 2) Communities value the girl child, challenge gender stereotypes and take action to stop child marriage. 3) District and local level child protection systems of Kurigram district are strengthened to address and respond to child rights violations (especially child marriage and birth registration).