Countering early marriage and fertility: A focus on Bangladesh’s Rohingya Camps

This study investigated how family formation among young Rohingya living in Cox’s Bazar has been affected by their forcible displacement from Myanmar.

A desk review of local and international policies and strategies that target countering child marriage in humanitarian settings was performed. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from boys and girls in two age groups:15-19 and 20-24, from 15 camps at Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar district. The research finds consistent preferences for marriage at 18, and childbearing soon after. It also finds potential for more family planning to support spacing later births.

In order to make major changes to the preference for early marriage and childbearing, a shift in the security and socio economic situation in the camps will be required. These will be long term processes, but they will be vital. In the short term, focus should be on targeting families with one child, as well as comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education before the age of 18.

This policy brief summarises the study results and policy recommendations.