PM reiterates to work with global community to ensure child rights
Describing the children as the future assets, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated her pledge to work with the global community to establish rights of the children alongside ensuring their protection in Bangladesh.
‘’I would like to reiterate my government’s strong commitment to working with national and international development partners and the UN agencies to establish the rights and protection of every child in our country,‘’ she said.
The Premier, who is now on an official tour to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, said this in a video message broadcast in a National Symposium on “Child Protection for Every Child: Best practices in Child Protection of Bangladesh.”
The European Union and UNICEF organized the National Symposium at a city hotel.
PM’s only daughter and Chairperson of the Bangladesh National Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders Saima Wazed presented the keynote paper at the function.
Sheikh Hasina said that the present government with the help of UNICEF and other development partners has taken various programs to build these children as worthy citizens.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had undertaken some unique initiatives for the overall development of the children during the short tenure of his government, she said.
‘’Bangladesh was among the first few countries to ratify and sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child-UNCRC. We took several initiatives, including enactment of the Children Act, 2013 with the aim of bringing the country in line with provisions of UNCRC,’’ she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government believes that today’s children are the future assets of the country.
‘’To build them as worthy citizens, we have to fulfil their basic rights like education, nutrition, medicare, protection, participation, recreation, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene,’’ she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that about half of the population of Bangladesh are under the age of 18 who are considered as children and more than 20 million of them are under the age of 5.
The Constitution Bangabandhu framed has a number of provisions that protect the rights of the children, she said, adding that a number of articles of the country’s Constitution, including Articles 14, 15, 17, 18, 28, 29, 34 and 35, safeguard fundamental rights to life, liberty, equality under the law, protection of the law, freedom from torture and prohibition from forced labour.
‘’He (Bangabandhu) enacted the Children Act, 1974 to protect and safeguard the children of Bangladesh,’’ she said.
According to the law, she said 64 District Child Welfare Boards and 492 Upazila Child Welfare Boards are formed and they are functioning to take instant measures for child welfare and protection at the grassroots level, she informed.
She noted that community-based prevention mechanisms are considered as effective approaches in preventing juvenile delinquency and creating a positive environment for children.
‘’So, the government has already strengthened 300 Community Based Child Protection Committees and paved the way for engaging community volunteers. Juvenile delinquency has of late emerged as a matter of concern in every society. 70 dedicated Probation Officers and 189 Child Protection Social Workers are working for the family and community based correction of children,’’ she said.
Besides, the government has institutional care arrangements to rear and care, educate, train and rehabilitate distressed and street children, she said, adding that poverty is the one of the major barriers in fulfilling the needs of the children.
‘’Our government has developed the National Social Security Strategy-NSSS to build an inclusive social security system for all deserving citizens. The system effectively tackles and prevents poverty, inequality and contributes to broader human development, employment and economic growth,’’ she said.
Under the social safety-net programs, she said her government has been disbursing various allowances among 10.7 million people of the country.
‘’Children are also beneficiaries of these programs. We have made remarkable progress in primary-school enrolment. About 98 percent school-going children are enrolled. Primary School students are supported by stipends. About 23 million students have been brought under various stipend and scholarship programs,’’ she said.
The infant mortality rate has been reduced to 23.67 per 1,000 and maternal mortality rate to 173 per 100 thousand live births, she said.
‘’We have set up more than 18 thousand community clinics and health centers to cater healthcare services mainly to women and children,’’ she said.
The Prime Minister said they are happy to introduce another beneficial program namely “Allowancefor Child Protection” which is specially for children at risk in child marriage, child labour and school dropped out children.
‘’Our government enacted the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities’ Act, 2013 for the recognition of equal citizenship, access to education, health and employment etc. We have established Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trust-NDD and Protection Trust for physically challenged people,’’ she added.
Noting that the country’s Disability Information System-DIS is an outstanding database, she said it preserves data of 26 lakh 88,701 people with disabilities that include extent and type of disability as well as status of individual, familial and the assessed needs for interventions.
‘’We do appreciate the great devotion and excellent effort of my beloved daughter Saima Wazed who has been making a tremendous contribution for the advancement in disability and child development in Bangladesh,’’ she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has introduced Child Helpline-CHL-1098 in 2016. CHL1098 has so far heard more than 0.8 million children’s voices and provided services to the children and their families.
The Premier said they have also taken some measures to make all police stations child friendly, establishing a child help desk, deploying Child Affairs Police Officers, and giving directives on separate investigation or inquiry in line with Children Act 2013.
‘’Once child labour was a great problem in Bangladesh. Child labour has drastically been reduced in our country. The RMG sector is now totally free from child labour. We have done a lot to improve the condition of our children,’’ she said.
However, she said they still need to do more as they want every child of Bangladesh to grow as a worthy citizen to enjoy their all entitlements.
Source: BSS