Country still lacks proper monitoring of child rights

Experts yesterday stressed proper implementation of policies and enforcement of laws in order to eliminate child labour in the country.

They alleged that despite enacting good number of laws and policies as well as ratifying some international conventions, the country still lacks proper monitoring of child rights issues.

Government and non-government officials and rights activists came up with this observation at a national consultation on “Elimination of child labour in informal sector: challenges and way forward for achieving SDG 8.7”. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) arranged the programme at the capital's Cirdap.

Presenting a keynote paper on the topic, TIM Nurunnabi Khan, an expert on labour and youth employment, said the number of working children in Bangladesh is 34.50 lakh.

The number of child labourers is some 16.98 lakh while 12.80 lakh children are involved in hazardous labour, he said, adding the number of children aged between five and seven in the country is 39.65 lakh.

He said the number of child labourers is increasing due to poverty, lack of special care for disadvantaged children, lack of sufficient educational opportunities and lack of awareness among poor parents.

He urged government, non-governmental organisations, civil society and other actors of the country to enhance their cooperative efforts to achieve SDG 8.7 by eliminating child labour from the country.

“Child labour cannot be eliminated in a day, but we need to increase awareness among people living in both rural and urban areas,” he said.

In his speech, Kazi Reazul Hoque, chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said, “Only infrastructural development by the government is not enough to be a developed country by 2041. Our dream of development will not be fulfilled without paying attention to children.”

He said the NHRC has already sent an official letter to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, recommending formation of a “Child Commission” to monitor issues related to child labour.

Sakeun Nahar Begum, additional secretary to labour and employment ministry, said the government has planned to eliminate child labour by 2025. “The Labour Act (amended) 2018 imposes ban on child labour; now we need to implement it properly,” she said.

Dr Khaja Shamsul Huda, chairperson of BSAF, said working children should be rehabilitated and given vocational training so that they can become skilled human resource in future.

Among others, BSAF Director Abdus Shahid Mahmood and Country Director of Terre des Hommes Netherlands Mahmudul Kabir also spoke at the programme.