Members of a children's group raise their hands to count those who have official birth certificates during a monthly meeting of a Children's Group in Bhashantek Basti (Slum) in Zon H, Dhaka, Bangladesh on 23rd September 2011. Official birth certificates is essential in proving that a child is underaged for marriage as many parents lie about their child's age when asked. The Bhashantek Basti Children's Group is run by children for children with the facilitation of PLAN Bangladesh and other partner NGOs. Slum children from ages 8 to 17 run the group within their own communities to protect vulnerable children from child related issues such as child marriage. About 20150 people live in the Bhashantek urban slum, with an average household size of 5 in housing sizes of 8 x 9ft made of bamboo, tin sheets and scrap materials. The average annual income is USD 200. Photo by Suzanne Lee for The Guardian

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Suzanne20110921-Guardian-Plan-0707.jpg

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Suzanne Lee

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5616x3744 / 4.7MB

Bhashantek basti bangladesh child brides child marriage child rights childrens group daily life dhaka education fishermen gc guardian independence labor labour minors ngo photo plan bangladesh plan international plan uk poverty suzanne lee village zon h

Contained in galleries

NGO / Development Agencies, Bangladesh, The battle against Child Marriage