FORCED MARRIAGE

Forced Marriage - Main Page

What is a Forced Marriage?

Forced Marriage - FAQs

 

Contact Info Phone: From within Dhaka: 882-3805 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Sunday through Thursday, or 885-5500 after hours, * ask for the Consular Section or duty officer. From a cell phone in Bangladesh or from outside Dhaka: 02-882-3805 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm 02-885-5500 after hours, * ask for the Consular Section or duty officer. From the US: Contact your local authorities and/or the US Department of State in Washington DC toll-free at 1-888-407-4747, or the US Embassy in Dhaka at 011-880-2-882-3805 or 011-880-2-885-5500, * ask for the Consular Section or duty officer. e-mail: DhakaACS@state.gov Location:  U.S. Embassy Madani Avenue Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 Bangladesh We can help!

FORCED MARRIAGE We can help! Definitions Forced Marriage: A forced marriage occurs when a bride, a groom, or both, do not consent to a marriage.  Forced marriage also occurs when the bride and/or the groom do not have the capacity to consent to marry (for example because they are under age) but are forced to marry nonetheless.  Because forced marriage involves an element of duress, forced marriage  is a human rights concern.  Anyone can be a victim of forced marriage: men, women, boys and girls. Consent: A voluntary agreement to marry a particular person with a full and complete understanding that you have agreed to do so. Duress: Force, or the threat of force, which overcomes a person’s ability to give consent. Forced Marriage vs. Arranged Marriage: In an arranged marriage, both parties can choose whether or not to accept the marriage. In a forced marriage, one or both spouses do not consent to the marriage and/or are not given a choice. Annulment: To legally dissolve a marriage because there is a legal defect in the marriage.  If a person can show that s/he did not knowingly and voluntarily consent to a marriage, or s/he does not have the capacity to consent, the marriage can be annulled under the state laws of the United States. Divorce: Legally terminating a marriage. U.S. Embassy:  The United States of America's representative in other countries. American Citizens Services (ACS):  This is the specific section of the U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section primarily responsible for assisting American citizens overseas. International Human Rights: There are several international agreements, declarations, and statements addressing marriage, such as those listed below. Not all of these are legally binding, and some are binding in certain countries only; they are included here only to show how seriously the issues of human rights and forced marriages are being taken by the international community. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, Article 16(2) states that “Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.” The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 23(3) states that “No marriage shall be entered into without the free and full consent of the intending spouses.” The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Article 16(1)(b) states that "States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to elimination discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and in particular shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, the same right freely to choose a spouse and to enter into a marriage only with their free and full consent." Additionally CEDAW Article 16 (2) provides that “The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and all necessary action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make the registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory.” The Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages (1962), Article 1(1) states that “No marriage shall be legally entered into without the full and free consent of both parties, such consent to be expressed by them in person after due publicity and in the presence of the authority competent to solemnize the marriage and of witnesses, as prescribed by law. “ Statutory Rape:  A crime where one of the parties does not have the legal capacity to consent to sexual activity. Although U.S. laws are strict governing statutory rape, the age of consent varies from state to state. We can help!