Education: A Powerful Tool for Rohingya Girls to Combat Child Marriage

The Importance of Education: A Path to Empowerment for Rohingya Girls Shahnaz Akter, The New York Times

Tuhin Sarwar

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Jan 6, 2025

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Haseena was just 9 years old when she was forced to drop out of school. Raised in a community where menstruation is still considered a taboo subject, her parents were deeply concerned about the possibility of her first period occurring while at school. They decided that it was best for her to stay at home instead of attending classes.

At the age of 12, just a year after reaching puberty, Haseena’s family proposed her marriage. Adult men, aged 20 and above, were invited to their homes as potential suitors

My parents never saw the value in my education. They told me I was already mature enough and of marriageable age, so there was no reason for me to continue my studies,” says Haseena, who is the eldest of seven siblings