Child, early, forced marriage an HR violation: Canada

Laying emphasis on creating awareness against child and forced marriage, Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Benoit Pierre Laramee has said child, early and forced marriage simply puts the lives and futures of girls at risk, reports UNB.
"It's a violation of their human rights and it hinders the development of girls, their communities and their countries," he said while inaugurating a photo exhibition in the city Friday evening at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka. The exhibition, the diplomat said is an opportunity to raise awareness about this harmful practice.
Canada was very encouraged by Prime Minister Hasina's pledge at the Girls Summit in London in July 2014 to end child marriage below 15 by 2021, and all child marriages by 2041, he said.
Canada has made ending child, early and forced marriage a foreign policy priority, and is spending over 5 million dollars in Bangladesh to address this challenge directly.
Alliance Française de Dhaka and the Canadian High Commission launched the two-week photo exhibition, titled 'Too Young to Wed' by award-winning photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair who has spent more than 13 years documenting the lives of girls and women around the world.
Mahjabeen Khaled, MP, also spoke at the inaugural ceremony. The exhibition will remain open until April 30 and is open to the public.
US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, Geeti Ara Safia, Shohidul Alam were, among others, present during the opening ceremony.
Stephanie Sinclair said, "Together, we can end child marriage in Bangladesh by 2021. This will take significant and continued investment in girls. I hope the stories shown in these photographs illustrate why an end to this practice is so necessary."