Education and Empowerment Key to Eradicating Child Marriage, Says Shama Obaed

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State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has emphasized the urgent need to address underlying socio-economic factors to completely end child marriage. Speaking during a recent high-level dialogue with UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, she highlighted that eradicating the practice requires tackling root causes such as poverty, entrenched social norms, high school dropout rates, and limited opportunities for young girls.

Beyond early marriage, the discussion encompassed several key issues impacting women and youth. Shama underscored the growing gender-based vulnerabilities driven by climate change, as well as the pressing need to combat gender-based violence, including online harassment targeting women. The dialogue also touched upon addressing juvenile delinquency through proactive socio-economic support systems.

Reaffirming the government's commitment to long-term development, the State Minister emphasized the importance of improving the overall quality of education. She outlined plans to progressively increase national investment in the education sector, with a target of reaching 5% of the GDP to ensure a brighter and safer future for young girls across the country.