Climate change touches already every corner of the world and every aspect of people’s lives. As the global temperature increases, its impacts will become even more extreme. The impact of climate change world is already facing food and fuel crises. World Bank and IMF have sounded a larger alarm push 100 million people in low-income countries deeper into poverty. In Bangladesh we are seeing rice-crises firsthand everyday. The long queues on the roadside subsidized rice sale centers are probably an indication of the coming hunger, when 30 million people will face starvation. In Bangladesh natural disasters like SIDR, River Erosion, Drought and Flood mass migration of people from the countryside to the cities. Visions of money, food and a better life, but many of they failed to realize their dreams lured the migrants, and the rural poor became the urban poor. I began to document of marginal condition in my own country. My investigation finally brought me to a climate refugee in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of early marriage in the world.Almost two-thirds of the women between 20 and 24 were married before the age 18, according to a national survey by Plan Bangladesh and ICDDR,B in 2013.The negative impact of child marriage is acknowledge worldwide and consequently there are a host of policies and programmes that focus strongly on its prevention.
Married Adolescent in Bangladesh
65% of Bangladeshi girls are married off before the age of 18 and approximately one third of women aged 20 to 24 were married off by the age of 15 ( UNICEF )
240 women in every 100,000 live birth die from pregnancy related cause ( UNDP 2013 )
It is necessary to protect child rights of girls who have already entered marriage. Through my photo project I would like to show the present condition about the early married girls, especially their daily life activates and the married girls empowering through the Image Project. The project titled Initiatives for Married Adolescent Girl’s Empowement (IMAGE) aims to ensure a life with dignity for early married girls in Bangladesh by improving their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights ( SRHR ).In this context, IMAGE working for married adolescent girl’s empowerment.
Effect of Child-marriage
Maternal Mortality during childbirth
Child-Mortality
Post-natal Complication
Unable to continue Education
Isolation and lack of Social Visibility
Unable to engage in Income Generating Activities
Young married girls are more likely to drop out of school and, consequently, miss opportunities in gainful employment later in life. Teenage pregnancy, before the age of physical maturity, increases the risk of birth complications and giving birth to a low-birth-weight baby, which is closely linked to child stunting.
The power imbalance between young brides and their husbands make girls more susceptible to domestic violence and other risks. Overall, early marriage keeps young brides and their children from reaching their full physical, economic, and social potential.
I try to shown my photo story as well as married girls aware of their rights, health condition, social position and their empowering in our society in Bangladesh.I think, in my depth storytelling to make concern and aware world wide audience and policy maker. I have been blessed that time and working on this project, the world has started to take notice of the importance of addressing Child Marriage and their human rights.Now there are conferences and gatherings where grassroots organization gather to talk about the issue.To me its quite lovely in that respect through Image Project.
Notes: The project, a work-in-progress . . .
Salina Audio:
Married Adolescent Girl’s Empowerment~ Salina 19 , Married at the age of 16. She said after her marriage suffer more like health complication, sexual relation.So need to stop the child marriage and empowering the girl’s who suffer more . She educated herself and pass the SSC exam. Now she works as a school teacher in the village of Ramchandrapure. Gaibandha, Bangladesh. Photo: Monirul AlamMarried Adolescent Girl’s Empowerment~ Rupali Begum 20, She read in class seven after that she married. She was not wanted as early married but her family do it. She said married girl suffer many complication. She lives with her father’s house. Her husband works abroad. They have two children. Photo: Monirul AlamMarried Adolescent Girl’s Empowerment~ Mazada Khatun 19 , When she was 17 she married to Md Samiul. She said after my marriage I suffer health complication with my eye problem. I think need to change child marriage system. Mazada doing house hold work to support her family. Photo: Monirul AlamMarried Adolescent Girl’s Empowerment~ Hawoa 18, married at the age of 16. She divorce to her husband Sabuj, because Sabuj is a drug addicted person and not doing anything, presently Hawoa live with her child in her father’s house, She wanted to work and established herself. Photo: Monirul AlamHawoa Audio :
Photo: Monirul Alam
The Bangladesh government endorsed in draft law on 25 November, 2016 for preventing child marriage fixing 18 years as the minimum age for girls to get married but kept a provision for special circumstances under which girls below the age could tie the knot. Women and rights bodies demanded cancellation of the provision terming it contrary to the very law that has been proposed. According to the draft, men 21 and above could get married and if either the groom or the bride or both are below 21 and 18, it would be considered a child marriage and an offence. [ News Published on 26 November 2016 The Daily Star ]
“The number of children and people with autistic conditions continues to rise — in every nation and in every racial, ethnic and social group”. -UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- Moon
Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.
It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support. People with autism may also experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.
Asperger syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language. [The National Autistic Society]
MONIRUL ALAM 