Code of conduct for employers soon: Shirin
The government is taking an initiative to formulate a code of conduct for the employers of child workers with a view to protecting their rights.
State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said this at the National Child Domestic Worker Convention 2010 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city yesterday.
The government is keen to eliminate child labour in the country, Sharmin Chowdhury said, adding that the demands of the child domestic workers would be considered during updating of the National Child Policy 1994.
Lauding the convention where child domestic workers found a platform to speak out for themselves, she said that the child labour issue should be addressed through a broader approach. Alleviation of poverty is crucial as poverty forces the children to be engaged in formal and informal sectors as workers.
The convention was jointly organised by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), Together with Working Children (TWC), a network of NGOs, and Save the Children, Sweden-Denmark.
The convention was aimed to break the silence of the society regarding realising rights of the child domestic workers in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, rights activists called on the policymakers to take an initiative to protect the child domestic workers from all forms of violations and economic exploitation.
Kelland Stevenson, country programme director, Save the Children, Australia, said child domestic workers may find a way to come out economic exploitation through such national level meeting and look forward to realising other basic needs such as education, entertainment and health.
At the programme, the child domestic workers handed over a declaration paper with their demands to Sultana Kamal, executive director, Ain O Salish Kendra.
Around 400 child domestic workers took part in the convention inaugurated by Elias Ahmed, secretary, ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.
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