Have you heard of the BRAC? Do not be disappointed if you haven't, I know I hadn't heard of it until today. BRAC is a Citizen Action Group headquartered in Bangladesh. It comprises of women who have bared witness to the injustice of child marriages - either having one themself or knowing someone close who has. There main goal is to alleviate poverty in the communities in Bangladesh, and elsewhere, but they do focus some on child marriage. As I have learned through research, child marriage and poverty are closely connected because the common reason for child marriage is for the family to receive a dowry and pay off any debts and what not. So typically the more poor the family, the more likely the daughters will be victims to arranged child marriages. But BRAC gives the women in these heavily impacted areas a voice, and a strength that they haven't had before. BRAC works with these women to let them know that they can stand up if they feel oppressed or being victimized.
These grassroots organizations are a perfect way to combat traditions that must end. These women approach men that they have grew up next to, that have once had a crush on, that might have been their father's best friend - they approach these men to let them know of the injustice that they are causing. They approach these men with a plea to forget this tradition that is only causing more poverty, more illiteracy, more child mortality. The women that make up this organization mobilize women in their community because they know one another; they know each other's stories; they know the traditions better than anyone else. They see the effects of the traditions just as those being victimized see them. BRAC, and organizations that form within small communities, are the most effective, but tend to need the most help. They need support that they can't receive from their community - but they have the voice.
Even though BRAC is organizing to stop child marriages, 68% of women in Bangladesh get married before the age of 18. Studies/education stop once a woman gets married - no matter the age. Things in Bangladesh are changing, people are listening, and girls are finishing their education. Here is what BRAC has done for Bangladesh: present in 69421 villages, created 11830 Citizen Action Groups to solve issues in their communities, trained 3000 Justice Educators to teach on domestic violence and gender discrimination, trained 5519 barefoot lawyers who teach Human Rights and Legal Education classes, graduated 3.4 million women from those classes, sent 19424 cases to court, resolved 65214 cases through Alternative Dispute Resolution, and their Popular Theatre groups have performed 119,321. Keep in mind, that is just touching those in Bangladesh. Groups like this could affect millions of women with this kind of grassroots organizing. This is amazing.
http://brac.net/courageintheheart/
http://www.brac.net/
These grassroots organizations are a perfect way to combat traditions that must end. These women approach men that they have grew up next to, that have once had a crush on, that might have been their father's best friend - they approach these men to let them know of the injustice that they are causing. They approach these men with a plea to forget this tradition that is only causing more poverty, more illiteracy, more child mortality. The women that make up this organization mobilize women in their community because they know one another; they know each other's stories; they know the traditions better than anyone else. They see the effects of the traditions just as those being victimized see them. BRAC, and organizations that form within small communities, are the most effective, but tend to need the most help. They need support that they can't receive from their community - but they have the voice.
Even though BRAC is organizing to stop child marriages, 68% of women in Bangladesh get married before the age of 18. Studies/education stop once a woman gets married - no matter the age. Things in Bangladesh are changing, people are listening, and girls are finishing their education. Here is what BRAC has done for Bangladesh: present in 69421 villages, created 11830 Citizen Action Groups to solve issues in their communities, trained 3000 Justice Educators to teach on domestic violence and gender discrimination, trained 5519 barefoot lawyers who teach Human Rights and Legal Education classes, graduated 3.4 million women from those classes, sent 19424 cases to court, resolved 65214 cases through Alternative Dispute Resolution, and their Popular Theatre groups have performed 119,321. Keep in mind, that is just touching those in Bangladesh. Groups like this could affect millions of women with this kind of grassroots organizing. This is amazing.
http://brac.net/courageintheheart/
http://www.brac.net/
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