Child Equity Atlas - BIDS

Summary and Conclusion
gap. Disparities are more discernible at subnational
levels, hence with every additional
lower spatial level of analysis, the range of
value for the indicators increased (see Tables
in Annex-3A and 3B). While the proportion of
“real child worker” at the divisional level varied
from 3.7 per cent to 8.0 per cent (Figure 4.1
in Chapter four), it was 1.7 per cent to 26.5
per cent at the upazila level (Annex Table 4.1
in Annex-3B). In Dhaka City Corporation, the
proportion of real child worker among the
wards varied from 8.3 per cent to 43.8 per
cent (Table 6.7 in Chapter six). The lower and
higher values of indicators varied enormously,
for example, the proportion of households
with access to electricity at upazila level varied
from 7.8 per cent to 97.7 per cent (Annex Table
5.1 in Annex-3B), an indication of incredible
inequality. The proportion of female real
child worker also significantly varied between
upazilas, the lowest being 0.1 per cent and the
highest 27.0 per cent (Annex Table 4.1 in Annex-
3B), unveiling a factor of 270 times difference
between two upazilas. Thus, disparities that
existed in the country in respect of various
indicators were more pronounced through
small area estimates than that of the large
areas. Hence, it is recommended that BBS,
BIDS, UNICEF and interested development
institutions undertake further analysis of the
Census data, to the Union levels, particularly
in the 20 districts prioritized under the
Government of Bangladesh and the UNDAF
and UNICEF Assisted Country Programme, to
tackle various indicators of social deprivation.
The Equity Atlas may also be complemented
by further analysis of the Sample Census data
which offers scope for analyzing indicators
of mortality, fertility, migration, economic
activity and use of print and electronic media
and internet, among others.
2. Female teenage marriage is still very high in
Bangladesh, 32.5 per cent on average with
the highest of 55.2 per cent in one upazila
(Nageshwari in Kurigram District). Female
education was inversely correlated with
female teenage marriage, the higher the
female education rate the lower the teenage
marriage rate. Education remains a potent
tool to delay the age of marriage and increase
human capital substantially. This finding
reinforces the urgency of collaborative action
by various institutions - Ministry of Women
and Children Affairs, Ministry of Primary and
Mass Education, Ministry of Social Welfare, Civil
Society and communities with support from
UNICEF and other UN agencies - to harness the
synergy of services and interventions to delay
the age of marriage, particularly promotion of
education, provision of safety net and other
targeted programmes.
3. There has been clear progress in literacy
levels in the country, but with high disparities
between different districts and upazilas - 22.5
percentage point difference for districts and
26.7 for upazilas. While several districts and
upazilas experienced substantial progress,
some areas in dire need experienced very
little progress, justifying the geographic
targeting adopted by the Government and
development partners in key sectors.
4. There has been improvement in girls’
education in the country. Girls’ attendance at
secondary school was higher than that of the
boys, 80.2 per cent for girls against 72.2 per
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