No child to be a victim of violence: Speakers

With the passage of time, various indexes like infant mortality, polio, education and early marriage have been improved in the country. But violence against children is happening inside and outside the house. Apart from child marriage, many children are being subjected to brutal murder and torture. 

In order to create a livable country for the children, we must now take integrated efforts to establish their rights. No more children should be subjected to violence.

Speakers came up with the observations during a roundtable discussion held at The Westin Dhaka on Saturday afternoon. 

The dialogue was jointly organized by the Daily Samakal and Joining Forces, a combined initiative of six private development organizations working on children rights, to mark the 30-year celebration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

The members of Joining Forces include EDUCO, Plan International, Save the Children, SOS Children's Village Bangladesh, Terre des Hommes and World Vision.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatunnesa Indira was the chief guest at the event moderated by Mustafiz Shafi, Acting Editor of the Daily Samakal.

During the discussion, the speakers highlighted various aspects of children's rights and their current positions. 

Many achievements to protect children's rights have been discussed.  Some horrific scenarios regarding children were also tabled. 

According to media reports, a total of 697 children were raped and 285 children were murdered in the country in the first eight months of the current year. 

About 59 percent of girls are got married at the age of 18 while 18 percent of them had to marry before reaching at 15.

Fazilatunnesa Indira said that Bangabandhu enacted the children rights act 15 years before the declaration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working continuously to improve the quality of life of the children. 

The Prime Minister has also received several international awards as part of her success in various sectors, including extended immunization programs to reduce maternal mortality, she said.

Indira added that the government is working to reduce the child marriage to zero by 2041. Besides, various initiatives have been taken to eliminate violence against the children completely in the country within 2030.

Explaining various figures of the years after Awami League came to power in 2009, the state minister said that the rate of child marriage aged below 18 was 74 percent, and it was reduced to 47 percent in 2017. 

In 2005, the rate of child marriage under 15 years was 32 percent, and it was only 10.7 percent in 2017. Success of an era in this field has happened following the motivational work of the government's mission.

Regarding domestic violence, she said it is very sad that domestic violence has increased in the country. A parent is killing his/her child and on the contrary, a child is killing his/her parents. This situation has been created due to moral degradation and deterioration of social values. It is not possible for the government to unilaterally stop it. We have to work together by taking integrated initiatives.

Mustafiz Shafi said no more children will be abused in the society so that we have not to carry any report in the media in this regard. With the participation of all, we will take society to such a level where no child will be victimized. The only thing we want is that the children will get their rights, will get livable, violence-free country and society. This is possible if the government, international and national bodies, the media and all of us carry on integrated activities together.

Former Member of Parliament Mahjabeen Khaled said that it is important to implement all kinds of challenges for the children, not just separate budget allocation for them. New challenges are also arising everyday with the development of the country and to meet those, we want the joint initiative of various organizations along with the government.

Akram-Al-Hossain, secretary to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, said that now there are 65,626 primary schools in the country which was 37,672 in 2005. The government takes initiative to establish a school if there is no primary school within one and a half kilometers where the number of inhabitants is 2,000. The rate of students drop out in the country has also dropped significantly. In the year of 2008, about 39.3 percent of students dropped out from schools, it has now decreased to 18.6 percent.

He added that the government is sincere in preventing social values and moral degradation. Various initiatives have also been taken to ensure quality education for all. Teaching and textbooks have been arranged in the mother tongue of all small ethnic minorities. Special arrangements have been made for students with disabilities and for this, 65,000 teachers have already been trained up.

Khadiza Nazneen, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, said the government is working on all those who are below the poverty line, neglected and deprived of privileges. Sheikh Russell Child Rehabilitation Centre has been set up under the guidance of the Prime Minister. There are schools for visually impaired children. About one lakh orphan children are being given allowance regularly. There are also various benefits for the children of the third gender. According to declaration of Prime Minister, we want to make such a country where children will lead a better, prosperous life.

Rabiul Islam, Deputy Director of the National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh and a member secretary of the committee on children's rights, said that children are being educated after liberating them from the laborious work. But there is uncertainty of getting jobs for them after completing education. Children's education is interrupted due to frequent changes in education and syllabus. All must come forward to prevent violence against children.

Australian High Commission's Development Co-operation Program Manager MI Nahil said Australia, as a partner in the development of Bangladesh, closely monitors the education and overall aspects of children. The issue of corporal punishment on children is very worrying.

Dhaka North City Corporation Legal Officer Nazmul Huda Shamim said the corporation is putting continuous efforts to build children, women and disabled friendly city. However, there are uncertainties in the growth of children with the increasing number of working parents in the country. Daycare centre policy is very important for the children. 

Azizur Rahman, a UNICEF social policy specialist, said Bangladesh is one of the 22 countries to be the first to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. But according to this, there is no significant progress in preventing violence against children in the country. An ombudsman is in need of implementing children's rights.

Professor Afsan Chowdhury of BRAC University said that if people do not come forward, development will not happen and this is my experience of working with children for three decades. Major obstacle comes while working on children's sexual abuse. We have many achievements despite our many limitations. There is also a lacking of integration.

Mark Pierce, Country Director of Save the Children, said that we need to take urgent steps to stop child marriage. If children's participation in various important decisions of the government is ensured, then it will be easy to establish their rights.

Laura Cradia, Deputy Country Director of Plan International, said it is true that the government has achievements in establishing children's rights, but we have to think more deeply about various issues, including the budget, regarding the children. This is because the scenario of violence against children in the eight months of this year is really worrisome.

Christine Geithin Ippesen, Country Director of TDH Lusan, said that child marriage stops children's growth and development. I want a stronger role of the government in this regard.

Valentina Lucchese, Country Director of TDH Italy, said the girls, who got married early, are quickly subjected to various pressures. It can make her life troublesome. There are many such incidents in North Bengal of the country. It is the time to take fruitful initiatives to stop child marriage.

Mahmudul Kabir, Country Director, Terre Des Hommes Netherlands, said initiatives need to be taken to stop child labor. Effective steps should be taken to amend the policy to curb the ongoing violence against children.

Chandan Z Gomes, Program Director of World Vision, said there are academies and institutions for children at different levels across the country. But where is the position of the children at the institutional level? Children should be highlighted and we have to take views from them.

EDUCO Country Director Johny M Sarker said effective measures should be taken to establish the rights of children and prevent violence against them. Special attention should be given to the development of children in the coastal, haor and hilly areas of the country.

EDUCO Advisor Syed Motlabur Rashid said it is possible to work for implementing children's rights through monitoring to meet SDG goals. Violence against children must be reduced to zero level by setting small targets.

Golam Ahmed Ishaq, National Director of SOS Children's Village International in Bangladesh, said many children have been deprived of their parents' love and affection since birth. A family and parents are very important for the children's decent future. They have taken some initiatives to bring up the motherless children with the care of mother in alternative ways.