PM reiterates commitment to work for child rights

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday reaffirmed her government's commitment to   working   with   national   and   international   development partners and the UN agencies to establish the rights of every child in the country.

"We have done a lot to improve the condition of our children. However, we still need to do more. We want every child of our country to grow as a worthy citizen enjoying their all entitlements," she said.

Hasina, now on an official tour abroad to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said this in a video message broadcast in a symposium held in Dhaka.

The European   Union   and   UNICEF arranged the National Symposium on "Child Protection for Every Child: Best practices in Child Protection of Bangladesh" in a city hotel. 

PM's daughter and Chairperson of the Bangladesh National Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders Saima Wazed presented the keynote paper at the event.

 Hasina put emphasize on some measures for further improvement of the children.

Raising the measures, she said, "A National Social Work Policy may be formulated; We need to create necessary child protection manpower; Child Protection Allowance may be introduced as a regular program; Fund may be constituted for District/Upazila Child Welfare Board; A Reintegration and Referral mechanism policy should be formulated; And, Good Parenting training program should be introduced."

The PM said the present government with the help of UNICEF and other development partners   has   taken   various   programmes   to   build   these   children   as   worthy citizens improving their condition. 

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 added.

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.

According to the Children Act-1974 framed by Bangabandhu, 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 said community-based   prevention   mechanisms  are   considered   as   effective approach   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," she said 

Noting that juvenile delinquency has of late emerged as a matter of concern in every society, she said 70 dedicated Probation Officers and 189 Child  Protection Social Workers are  working   for the  family   and community   based   correction of children.

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,'' said  Hasina.

Under  the  social   safety-net   programmes,  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 98percent   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 PM said they are happy to introduce another beneficial program namely "Allowance for 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.

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," she said.

The RMG sector is now totally free from child labour, said the premier.