One Word on Marriage Certificate Means Big Step for Bangladesh’s Women

Marriage laws in Bangladesh have taken a turn for the better, and brides no longer need to declare if they are virgins on official marriage documents.

Women’s rights activists have succeeded in better protecting women’s privacy in Bangladesh after a five-year legal battle to trade the word ‘Kumari’ – meaning virgin – on marriage certificates, with ‘Unmarried’.

Before the high court’s ruling, a groom was not required to state his status. Now, however, he must also disclose whether he is unmarried, divorced, or a widower.

Siddiqua, of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, “It’s a ruling that gives us the belief that we can fight and create more changes for women in the future.”