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Photojournalism: Rohingya: Child Marriage

 

 

Early marriage is a common cultural practice within the Rohingya Muslim communities in Myanmar with child marriages being extremely common among the ethnic minority group.  

As over 700,000 Rohingya have fled their homes into neighboring Bangladesh since late August 2017, food rations have reportedly been a major factor in the decision for families to marry off their children in the camps while UN officials warned that Rohingya children, especially those who were unaccompanied, are at great risk of being trafficked or forced into marriages.  

An investigation by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) recently uncovered documented accounts of Rohingya girls as young as 11 getting married and families at refugee camps in Cox's Bazar are forcing their girls to marry early to reduce the number of mouths to feed and secure more food for themselves.  

For Getty Images 

  • The family of Amina Begum, 15 , eats before her wedding. Amina and her new husband, Munir, 22, are from the same village in Myanmar. Amina and her family fled their village after the August 25th attack when the army and Buddhists opened fire on the village. They had to walk for 13 days to the Bangladesh border, sleeping in the forest and taking shelter in other villages on the way. Amina's father has 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys. He says 'I already have a lot of daughters, if I marry them off it's good for me. If I get the opportunity I will marry the rest off as soon as possible. If I die, who will take responsibility for them?' Munir says 'I think 18 is the best age for a girl to get married, but we knew each other in the village so it's okay.'
  •  Amina Begum, 15 , from Butidong Kancapara village in Myanmar cries on her father's shoulder on her wedding day in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Her husband, Munir, 22, is from same village. Amina and her family fled their village after the August 25th attack when the army and Buddhists opened fire on the village. They had to walk for 13 days to the Bangladesh border, sleeping in the forest and taking shelter in other villages on the way. Amina's father has 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys. He says 'I already have a lot of daughters, if I marry them off it's good for me. If I get the opportunity I will marry the rest off as soon as possible. If I die, who will take responsibility for them?' Munir says 'I think 18 is the best age for a girl to get married, but we knew each other in the village so it's okay.'
  • Amina Begum, 15 , from Butidong Kancapara village in Myanmar sits segregated by a curtain from her husband and other men during her marriage ceremony on her wedding day in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Her husband, Munir, 22, is from same village. Amina and her family fled their village after the August 25th attack when the army and Buddhists opened fire on the village. They had to walk for 13 days to the Bangladesh border, sleeping in the forest and taking shelter in other villages on the way. Amina's father has 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys. He says 'I already have a lot of daughters, if I marry them off it's good for me. If I get the opportunity I will marry the rest off as soon as possible. If I die, who will take responsibility for them?' Munir says 'I think 18 is the best age for a girl to get married, but we knew each other in the village so it's okay.'
  • 2 year old Munir, sits on the other side of the curtain of Amina Begum, 15 , during their marriage ceremony in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Her husband, Munir, 22, is from same village. Amina and her family fled their village after the August 25th attack when the army and Buddhists opened fire on the village. They had to walk for 13 days to the Bangladesh border, sleeping in the forest and taking shelter in other villages on the way. Amina's father has 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys. He says 'I already have a lot of daughters, if I marry them off it's good for me. If I get the opportunity I will marry the rest off as soon as possible. If I die, who will take responsibility for them?' Munir says 'I think 18 is the best age for a girl to get married, but we knew each other in the village so it's okay.'
  • Amina Begum, 15 , sits with her new husband, 22 year old Munir, after their marriage ceremony in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Her husband, Munir, 22, is from same village. Amina and her family fled their village after the August 25th attack when the army and Buddhists opened fire on the village. They had to walk for 13 days to the Bangladesh border, sleeping in the forest and taking shelter in other villages on the way. Amina's father has 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys. He says 'I already have a lot of daughters, if I marry them off it's good for me. If I get the opportunity I will marry the rest off as soon as possible. If I die, who will take responsibility for them?' Munir says 'I think 18 is the best age for a girl to get married, but we knew each other in the village so it's okay.'
  • Rahul Amin, 20, and Sabakur Nahar, 15, pose for a photo in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. They were married two months ago in a Bangladesh refugee camp. Rahul is from Tula Toli and Sabakur is from Bouli Bazar. They both fled to Bangladesh after the August 25th attack. Rahul lost 20 relatives in the attack and spent days walking to Bangladesh, hiding in the forest and drinking water from the paddy fields along the way. Sabakur saw her father killed by the military and lost 6 relatives during the attack. She got separated from the rest of her family and spent 8 days walking to Bangladesh. Sabakur and Rahul met in Bangladesh at the Kutupalong transit center. He says that he thought she was beautiful so he approached her and they started talking. After 3 days he proposed marriage to her. She told him yes, but that she couldn't marry him until she found her family. Eventually she gave up hope and they were married a few days later. A few weeks after that she located her family in a camp. Rahul says 'Her age didn't matter to me, her body structure isn't young and small, she looks older, so it's okay. In our culture, women who look older have to get married. If other people see her they'll criticize her family, saying your daughter is getting older she needs to get married now. In Islam, any girl who looks older and is seen outside of the house, it's bad for her family. In the Koran, it says that if anyone sees a girl outside of the house, she will be cursed.' Sabakur says 'I wanted to wait until I was 18 to get married, 15 is too young. I agreed because I didn't have my family here. If I was in Myanmar I never would have agreed to get married. I was all alone here, so I agreed.'
  • Abdul Karim, 20 and Arifa Begum, 16, pose for a photo in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. They were married in a Bangladesh refugee camp one week ago. Arifa fled to Bangladesh from Bouli Bazar in Myanmar and Abdul fled from Tula Toli, both after the August 25th attack. Abdul says 'I didn't want to get married, I wanted to wait until I can go home to Myanmar. I have no work here, how can I support a family? My father wanted me to get married because food ration cards are given to individual families here'. Arifa says, 'I didn't want to get married, but I can't deny my parents wishes. My father wanted me to get married, I don't have a choice. I have to do what he says'. Arifa's father, Abdul Mabub says 'I don't have enough food to feed her. The camp is unsafe and marriage means safety. I'm not home to look after her all the time, now her new family looks after her and she's not my responsibility anymore'.
  •  Farmina Begum, 16, is seen on the day of her wedding to 18 year old Hashimullah, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Farmina and her family fled on August 25th after the military attacked their village of Kullung. The military came to their village and burned houses and shot people. They hid in the hills for 8 days and spent 5 days walking to the Bangladesh border. Hashimullah and Farmina met at the water pump in the Bangladesh refugee camp near their home and he proposed to her father and he agreed to the marriage. Farmina's mother says 'When we got his proposal we agreed because we don't enough food to feed her. If she got married, she would then be her husband's responsibility. She's getting older and and older girls shouldn't be single.'
  • Farmina Begum, 16, sits on one side of a wall separating women from men on the day of her wedding to 18 year old Hashimullah, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Farmina and her family fled on August 25th after the military attacked their village of Kullung. The military came to their village and burned houses and shot people. They hid in the hills for 8 days and spent 5 days walking to the Bangladesh border. Hashimullah and Farmina met at the water pump in the Bangladesh refugee camp near their home and he proposed to her father and he agreed to the marriage. Farmina's mother says 'When we got his proposal we agreed because we don't enough food to feed her. If she got married, she would then be her husband's responsibility. She's getting older and and older girls shouldn't be single.'
  • Farmina Begum, 16, sits on the ground while women peer through the wall separating men from women on the day of the wedding of to 18 year old Hashimullah, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Farmina and her family fled on August 25th after the military attacked their village of Kullung. The military came to their village and burned houses and shot people. They hid in the hills for 8 days and spent 5 days walking to the Bangladesh border. Hashimullah and Farmina met at the water pump in the Bangladesh refugee camp near their home and he proposed to her father and he agreed to the marriage. Farmina's mother says 'When we got his proposal we agreed because we don't enough food to feed her. If she got married, she would then be her husband's responsibility. She's getting older and and older girls shouldn't be single.'
  • 18 year old Hashimullah (grey shirt, third man from right) participate in his wedding ceremony in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Farmina and her family fled on August 25th after the military attacked their village of Kullung. The military came to their village and burned houses and shot people. They hid in the hills for 8 days and spent 5 days walking to the Bangladesh border. Hashimullah and Farmina met at the water pump in the Bangladesh refugee camp near their home and he proposed to her father and he agreed to the marriage. Farmina's mother says 'When we got his proposal we agreed because we don't enough food to feed her. If she got married, she would then be her husband's responsibility. She's getting older and and older girls shouldn't be single.'
  • 18 year old Hashimullah poses for a photo with his new bride, 16 year old Farmina Begum on the day of their wedding in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Farmina and her family fled on August 25th after the military attacked their village of Kullung. The military came to their village and burned houses and shot people. They hid in the hills for 8 days and spent 5 days walking to the Bangladesh border. Hashimullah and Farmina met at the water pump in the Bangladesh refugee camp near their home and he proposed to her father and he agreed to the marriage. Farmina's mother says 'When we got his proposal we agreed because we don't enough food to feed her. If she got married, she would then be her husband's responsibility. She's getting older and and older girls shouldn't be single.'
  • Rahul Amin, 20, and Sabakur Nahar, 15, pose for a photo in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. They were married two months ago in a Bangladesh refugee camp. Rahul is from Tula Toli and Sabakur is from Bouli Bazar. They both fled to Bangladesh after the August 25th attack. Rahul lost 20 relatives in the attack and spent days walking to Bangladesh, hiding in the forest and drinking water from the paddy fields along the way. Sabakur saw her father killed by the military and lost 6 relatives during the attack. She got separated from the rest of her family and spent 8 days walking to Bangladesh. Sabakur and Rahul met in Bangladesh at the Kutupalong transit center. He says that he thought she was beautiful so he approached her and they started talking. After 3 days he proposed marriage to her. She told him yes, but that she couldn't marry him until she found her family. Eventually she gave up hope and they were married a few days later. A few weeks after that she located her family in a camp. Rahul says 'Her age didn't matter to me, her body structure isn't young and small, she looks older, so it's okay. In our culture, women who look older have to get married. If other people see her they'll criticize her family, saying your daughter is getting older she needs to get married now. In Islam, any girl who looks older and is seen outside of the house, it's bad for her family. In the Koran, it says that if anyone sees a girl outside of the house, she will be cursed.' Sabakur says 'I wanted to wait until I was 18 to get married, 15 is too young. I agreed because I didn't have my family here. If I was in Myanmar I never would have agreed to get married. I was all alone here, so I agreed.'
  • Tasmina Begum, 16, and Mohammad Eliyas, 18, pose for a photo in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. They married in a Bangladesh refugee camp 4 days ago. They fled after the August 25th attack when the military came to their village, burning houses and raping women. Eliyas says 'My parents are very old and have no one to take care of them and have no one to cook for them, so they decided I should get married. I'm a man, how can I cook? It was my parents decision that I should marry her, it's no problem that she's young. I have to do what my parents say.' Tasmina says, 'My father wanted me to get married so I couldn't say no.'
  •  Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, has her makeup done on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  • Nur Begum's shoes are seen before her wedding
  •  Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, has her hair done on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  • Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, is seen on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  • Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, walks to her husband's house with her family on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  •  Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, walks to her husband's house with her family on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  • Women crowd around Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  • Women dance around Nur Begum (not pictured) who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp
  • Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, sits segregated from men on the day of her wedding to Rayeed Alam, 20, in a Bangladesh refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Rayeed came to Bangladesh with his family shortly after the August 25th attack. He says the military attacked his village and shot people, burned houses and raped women. It took him 3 days to walk to the Bangladesh border. Rayeed's parents arranged the marriage because all of his sisters are already married and his mother needed someone to cook and look after her and her husband. Nur Begum said that her parents arranged the marriage for her and she had no choice in the matter.
  • Nur Begum, who doesn't know her age but thinks she is between 14 and 16 years old, sits for a photo with Rayeed Alam, 20, on their wedding day
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