According to a report released in a two-day executive board meeting on violence against children held in the capital, 51 per cent children in the country get married at an early age. [break]
The survey was conducted among people of the 20-24 year age group who were married before reaching 18 years.
The survey says that Bangladesh ranks first in early marriage in this region where 64 per cent people get married before 18 years of age.
The prevalence of child marriage in India is 47 per cent while it is 43 per cent and 24 per cent in Afghanistan and Pakistan respectively.
Similarly, 12 per cent people get married in their early age in Sri Lanka, the survey stated.
However, cases of the early marriage were not reported in the Maldives and Bhutan.
On the occasion, special representatives of the United Nations Office on Violence against Children Santos Peas said that each South Asian country should endorse appropriate policy and programmes to resolve the problem of early marriage.
Related story
Nepal ranks 2nd in South Asia, 106th in world press freedom ind...
