TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR): FOR HIRING AGENCY TO DEVELOP BRANDING AND CAMPAIGN MATERIALS FOR CAMPAIGN ON CHILD MARRIAGE

0. About Plan International Bangladesh:
Plan International began working in Bangladesh in 1994. Across all our work, we encourage children and young people to be leaders in their communities and drive progress on the issues that matter to them. We also integrate gender equality and inclusion across all our areas of work.

Plan International country strategy 2020-30 stated the vision to empower girls and young women, to be heard, to live without fear of violence and to achieve their rights. The strategic priorities imply children and youth leadership, girls make decisions, and young women control resources. These priorities will contribute to achieving the SDG goal of Gender Equality and Girls Rights by empowering children and youth leadership as the agent of change-maker in gender norms and promoting their decision-making about their lives by 2030.

1. Background:
Plan International believes that Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Union (CEFMU) is a fundamental human right violation which adversely affects both girls and boys, although it disproportionately affects girls by affecting all aspects of their lives. Married girls are four times more likely to drop out of school, which in turn limiting them from accessing opportunities, secure high income generating activities later in life, and make them more vulnerable to abuse & gender-based violence and keeps them stuck in a cycle of poverty and abuse. Child marriage is significantly associated with lower age at first birth, higher fertility rates, and shorter birth spacing related to lower use of any contraceptive, increased risk of unintended pregnancy, and pregnancy termination (Sadik et al., 2001)[1]. A longitudinal study found that avoiding CEFM and later marriage at 18 or older protected women from intimate partner violence (Yount et al., 2016)[2]. According to UNICEF, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in reducing the prevalence of child marriage over the years. In the 1970s, over 90 percent of the women were married in childhood (UNICEF et al., 2021)[3]. Through the combined effort by the government, non-government organizations, and civil society organizations, the prevalence of child marriage has significantly declined. However, despite the progress made in recent decades, according to a UNICEF study in 2019, Bangladesh has the highest prevalence of child marriage in South Asia with 51 percent of young women being married before they turned 18. Another 2022 survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) revealed that 40.9 percent of women aged 20-24 were married before turning 18, with rural areas showing even higher rates at 44.4 percent.

The main legislation in Bangladesh to eradicate child marriage is the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA) 2017. The State also has other legislative and programmatic instruments such as the Child Marriage Restraint Rules of 2018 and the National Plan of Action to Prevent Child Marriage (2018-2030). The rules were created to supplement the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017, and provided details of the formation and responsibilities of the Child Marriage Prevention Committees (CMPC), along with other functional details. However, most of the CMPCs are non-functional and lack accountability. The National Plan of Action to prevent Child Marriage 2018-2030 was developed to end the marriage of girls below the age of 15 years and to reduce by one third the rate of marriage for girls aged 18 years in 2021, and to completely eliminate child marriage by 2041. The CMRA- 2017 has many loopholes which require reforms including section-19 that allows underage marriages in certain circumstances under the court’s directives, with the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian and in the best interests of the minor. The act is also weakly implemented and enforced at the community levels. The National Plan of Action to prevent Child Marriage 2018-2030 focuses on strong monitoring to prevent child marriage; but mechanisms are either absent or weekly implemented. According to UNICEF, to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target to end child marriage by 2030 or the national target to end child marriage by 2041, the rate of progress must be 17 times faster or 8 times faster, respectively, than what has been observed in the last decade (Cappa et al., 2020)[1].

Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) remains a complex and persistent challenge in Bangladesh, deeply rooted in poverty, gender inequality, and entrenched social norms. Addressing CEFM requires multi-layered, community-driven interventions that tackle both structural vulnerabilities and normative drivers. Evidence shows that programmatic approaches such as girls’ empowerment through life skills and comprehensive sexuality education, economic strengthening interventions (e.g., cash transfers, vocational training, labour-market opportunities), and continued investment in girls’ secondary education contribute to reducing child marriage (UNFPA–UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, 2023).

However, while economic and educational interventions are critical, harmful social norms continue to sustain and justify the practice. Norms surrounding girls’ “honour,” safety, mobility, and limited economic roles shape parental decision-making and reduce investment in girls’ futures. In economically vulnerable households, early marriage is often perceived as a protective and economically rational decision. Despite recognition of the central role of social norms, there is limited systematic investment in evidence-based, theory-driven social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) interventions aimed at shifting these norms at scale.

Recent evidence also points to an emerging trend of self-initiated child marriages. In 2025, Plan International Bangladesh conducted a study exploring this phenomenon. The findings revealed that 53% of adolescent girls and 64.5% of adolescent boys personally knew someone who had initiated their own child marriage. Many adolescents reported choosing marriage to avoid stigma and social backlash associated with premarital relationships. In hard-to-reach areas, nine out of ten girls stated that marriage was perceived as their only life option; therefore, they preferred to marry someone of their own choosing. Fear of elopement further accelerates early marriage decisions, as parents may arrange marriages pre-emptively when they suspect romantic involvement. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted communication strategies that address adolescents directly, alongside parents and community influencers.

Additionally, emerging evidence indicates that climate-related shocks further exacerbate child marriage risks. Climate-induced livelihood losses, increased insecurity, and prolonged school closures intensify existing vulnerabilities. In the study, 60.3% of female respondents reported that their marriage followed a loss of livelihood, while 58.2% cited extended school closures as a contributing factor.

Given the complex and evolving drivers of child marriage — including poverty, harmful social norms, adolescent agency, and climate vulnerability — there is a critical need to develop evidence-informed, context-sensitive campaign materials that challenge harmful norms, amplify positive alternatives, and resonate with adolescents, parents, and community stakeholders.

ToR - CEFM Campaign materials (Click to download)

5. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL:
The proposals (Technical + Financial) should be submitted electronically to the email address: planbd.purchase@plan-international.org with an email title ‘Proposal to develop branding and campaign materials on Children Marriage” as subject line. The proposals should be submitted in an MS Excel or PDF format through email.

Submissions after the deadline of 8 March, 2026 will be treated as disqualified.

Two different folders i.e. technical and financial should be submitted into one zip folder with a covering letter addressing to Mr. Dipangkar Chakma, Admin & Procurement Coordinator, Plan International Bangladesh.