State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has emphasised the need to address underlying socio-economic factors, including poverty, social norms, school dropout rates and limited opportunities for girls, to end child marriage.

During a recent dialogue with UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, Shama also discussed gender-based vulnerabilities arising from climate change, gender-based violence, including online violence against women, and juvenile delinquency.

She underscored the Government’s commitment to improving the quality of education and progressively increasing investment in education to 5% of GDP.

Nearly half (47.2 per cent) of women aged 20 to 24 in Bangladesh were married before the age of 18, according to the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2025.

Child marriage drives girls out of school, fuels early pregnancy and limits their opportunities throughout life. UNICEF called for girls to complete secondary education and for loopholes in national law that permit child marriage to be closed.

During a meeting with senior officials, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Russell welcomed the Government’s commitment to increasing spending on education and health while stressing the importance of translating promises into action.

“Budgets reflect priorities,” she said. “Investing in children’s quality education, health, nutrition and protection is investing in Bangladesh’s future.”

Russell was accompanied by UNICEF Country Representative Gillian Mellsop, Deputy Representative Emmanuelle Abrioux and Child Protection Specialist Shabnaaz Zahereen. Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and Director General Kazi Ehsanul Haque accompanied the State Minister during the meeting.

The State Minister appreciated UNICEF’s contributions since Bangladesh’s independence and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building an inclusive Bangladesh that ensures dignity, equal opportunities and essential services for women and children.

She highlighted flagship initiatives such as the ‘Family Card’ and ‘Farmers’ Card’, which aim to extend financial support to female heads of households and strengthen their economic empowerment.

Shama also mentioned the school feeding programme, the distribution of free textbooks and free education for female students up to the undergraduate level.

She highlighted Bangladesh’s significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality and noted that the Government had nearly doubled the health budget to strengthen healthcare services.

The Executive Director thanked the State Minister for hosting her and acknowledged Bangladesh’s progress in reducing child mortality and stunting, improving school attendance and birth registration, and expanding access to safe drinking water and sanitation. She appreciated the Government’s cooperation and assured continued UNICEF support.

The State Minister thanked the Executive Director for visiting Bangladesh and expressed hope for a stronger, results-oriented partnership with UNICEF in maternal and child health, quality education, adolescent girls’ empowerment, child protection and climate resilience.

At the age of 14, Bushra faced the prospect of being married off until community leaders at a UNICEF-supported child protection hub worked with her father to prevent her from being married against her will.

Her story was one of many heard by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, who on Tuesday called for urgent investment in Bangladesh’s children following a three-day visit to the country.

Russell urged action on three fronts: ending child marriage and keeping girls in school; fulfilling the Government’s commitment to invest 5% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in both education and health; and protecting access to quality education for Rohingya refugee and host-community children.

“Keeping girls in school and providing them with the health, education and protection services they need will deliver a brighter future for them, for their communities, and for Bangladesh,” she said.

In Korail, Dhaka’s largest informal settlement, Russell heard from children and parents about how poverty, disrupted education and limited access to basic services had affected their lives.

Adolescent girls shared their ambitions and described the pressures that can force them out of school and into marriage.

In Cox’s Bazar, home to one of the world’s largest refugee camps, Russell met Rohingya children and families and visited a UNICEF-supported learning centre, where students and teachers spoke about the importance of education and vocational skills.

Beyond learning, education protects children from exploitation, trafficking, child marriage and recruitment by armed groups, UNICEF said.

“Rohingya children have lost so much to violence, displacement and uncertainty. They cannot lose their education too,” Russell said. “The world must invest in them, and in the communities that welcomed them.”

Recognising Bangladesh’s generosity in hosting the refugees, she appealed to the international community to continue supporting both the Rohingya and their host communities. She warned that, as humanitarian funding declines, sustained support is critical to protecting essential services.

In Cox’s Bazar, UNICEF and its partners provide life-saving and essential services to Rohingya refugee children and families.

As humanitarian funding declines, the UN agency said, sustained international support is critical to protecting essential services and ensuring that refugee and host-community children are not left behind.