Icchedana
On the Wings of Wishes:
Stories that Empower Girls to Live a Self-Determined Life
Topic: Ending Child Marriage
Location: Bangladesh
Icchedana (On the Wings of Wishes): TV drama series about an all-girls soccer team engages girls, families, and people of all ages to improve gender equity and health outcomes.
In Bangladesh, adolescent girls face one of the highest child marriage rates in the world and frequent sexual harassment. Gender inequality, along with limited access to education and health resources, puts their health and futures at serious risk.
Challenging Harmful Social Norms through Television
Launched in 2018, Icchedana challenges harmful social norms and gender-based discrimination.
Icchedana’s engaging drama format and relatable characters deliver critical messages about child marriage, education, sexual harassment, and menstrual hygiene. Broadcast on four national TV channels and amplified through social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook, Icche Dana reaches audiences across rural and urban areas.
This effort is bolstered by Raise the Beat, a series of public service announcement videos that promote girls’ rights to education, healthcare, and self-determination.
This initiative creates a dynamic platform for social change, fostering conversations that help adolescents access the knowledge and resources they need to shape their futures.
Content
TV Drama
Radio Drama
Video PSAs
Conversation
Social media
Action
Reporting Hotline
Scenes from fictional drama and PSA video series that promote girls’ rights in Bangladesh.
The program was complemented by a robust transmedia campaign that included social media, community engagement, and interpersonal communication, creating a multifaceted platform for change.
Positive Impact on Attitudes and Behaviors
IMPACT
45%
increase in actions that prevent child marriage
13%
decrease in child marriage in communities
1.6
million viewers
Network and Skill Development
As new ideas and practices spread, rates of child marriage will decline and more women will decide their own future.
Quotes from the Community
Icchedana inspired me to stand up for my education and delay marriage until I am ready.
— Sima*, adolescent girl and program participant
*Name changed for privacy
Empowering Communities Through Storytelling
Through Icchedana, adolescents and their families gained knowledge, skills, and confidence to challenge harmful norms. The program’s focus on narrative engagement and community involvement ensured its messages resonated deeply with viewers, fostering sustainable behavior change.
This initiative was made possible through the collaboration of UNICEF Bangladesh, BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health, and Rising Impact, with funding from Asiatic 360.
Our evidence-based approach
Coalition Building & Formative Research
Training & Program Design
Mentoring & Production
Broadcast & Community Mobilization
Monitoring & Evaluation
