Minara — the reformist on a bicycle

Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with 65 per cent of girls being married off before their 18th birthday. Despite having strict laws against the practice, child marriage continues unabated using forged documents that raise the ages of the child brides.

Meet Minara Begum, a woman who fights child marriage every day. It is a common sight to see her making her way on a cycle along the dusty roads of rural Gaibandha where she lives. She spends her day visiting families and counselling them on the harms of child marriage. She then follows it up with public announcements on the harms of child marriage, with the help of the village authorities who hold her in great esteem.

Minara speaks on what is at stake when girls are married young and not given the chance to pursue a proper education. She believes that more parents will change their stance on child marriage once they are aware of the emotional and physical trauma that young girls experience when they are married too young. She has never considered a different path of life for herself, despite the verbal abuse she sometimes faces from parents.

Minara has directly stopped 20 cases of child marriage and indirectly prevented many more. Her pride lies in the fact that the girls managed to continue their studies; some of the girls did get married but not before they turned 18. She hosts weekly meetings with young girls and women where they are regularly counselled on the dangers of early marriage and the legal support that girls can seek if they are forced into one.

Minara is determined to safeguard the futures of young girls in Bangladesh. Riding her cycle in her traditional dress, she is a beacon of hope for the hundreds of BRAC’s field officers striving to break complex social norms.

Learn more: http://brac.net/

Photo credit: BRAC/Hasan Safiuddin Chandan