Strengthen role of family to prevent child marriage: Simin

The role of family in fostering children's success and responsibility needs to be strengthened in order to prevent child marriage, State Minister for Women and Child Affairs Simin Hossain Rimi said yesterday.

"Family support, particularly from the father, and effective communication within the family are essential to improve positive relationships between children and parents," she said while speaking as the chief guest at the "International Child Development Programme (ICDP)-Family Strengthening training for Accelerating Protection for Children (APC) and MOWCA frontliners".

The training was organised by MoWCA, in association with Unicef and the European Union at the capital's Regional Public Administration Training Centre. 

Ambassador of Norway to Bangladesh Espen Rikter-Svendsen said Norway considers child protection a top priority, integral to its policy and national strategy. 

He also emphasised the significance of fathers in child-rearing and family strengthening. 

MoWCA Secretary Nazma Mobarek chaired the meeting and emphasised that family strengthening training for parents would provide them with valuable new information while also refreshing their existing knowledge.

"A Department of Children Affairs must be established to oversee the national programme to prevent violence and harmful practices against children," said Elisa Calpona, OIC chief of Child Protection Section, UNICEF.  

The training was attended by 66 MoWCA frontliners from different divisions of the country.

APC project director S M Latif, who is also the joint secretary of MoWCA, moderated the programme.