Enduring More Agency and Community Surveillance Support to Reduce Child Marriage in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of female child marriages in the world, with 2 in 3 girls marrying before 18. It occurs mostly frequently in poor rural households where girls are often undernourished. This physical condition, coupled with early childbirth, creates the risk of premature birth and neonatal (or infant) death. Early childbearing in poor households is also associated with infant malnourishment and higher total fertility, which can create long-term poverty traps.