Human Rights advocacy
State of Child Rights- 2007
Md. Alamgir
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Photo:Azizur Rahim peu/ driknews |
Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), a national network of 235 NGOs is working for the protection and promotion of the children in Bangladesh for more than a decade. Networking and Advocacy for Child Rights in Bangladesh (NACR) is one of the ongoing projects of BSAF. As an apex child rights forum of the country it has always try to find out the real picture of the child rights situation of the country. This report is another effort to realise the authentic circumstances of the child rights that prevailed in Bangladesh in 2007.
The information of this report is collected infiltrated from different national dailies. It is reported that, over the year 2007 total 3896 incidents were recorded on child rights violation in different forms. Out of these children 1568 were boys and 1483 were girls while 922 children were unidentified. The incidents had happened in a successive manner. It is estimated that in January 214 child rights violation occurred, in February it was 355, in March 412, in April 710, in May 203, in June 296, in July 232, in August 257, in September 216, in October 385, in November 396 and in December the number was 297.
A careful perusal of the incidents of the year reveals that children were denied to their basic rights of access to education. Apart from these children have been the victims of death by road accident, rape, abnormal death, drawn in to water, missing, injury, killed and suicide.
From the statistics of 2007 it is observed that, 250 children were victims of rape, while 48 were attempted to rape. 16 children were subject to sexual harassment and 225 were killed. 25 children attempt to commit suicide and 15 children injured through Acid. This report also shows that 383 children were died of road accident; 77 were injured. Train accident claimed the lives of two children and 5 were injured by the same. Besides, 13 children were missing due to boat capsize, 350 died abnormally, 27 were burnt to death, 50 died from diarrhoea, 92 passed away from pneumonia, 9 dived from boat capsize, 15 were killed after being raped, 9 died by electric sock, 14 were rescued from early marriage, 16 were tried to be killed, 40 were imprisoned, 132 children committed suicide, 2 burnt, 2 died and 2 injured while collecting relief, 147 were kidnapped, 4 lost their lives during flood, 382 were the victims of drawn water, 4 were kidnapped by Indian BSF, 169 missing, 12 died due to unknown disease, 23 were killed due to torture and 31 children rescued after being kidnapped.
The severe floods in 2007 immediately followed by the devastating cyclone SIDR have been described as the worst in decades and during SIDR 81 children were died while 14 children were injured
During the year 81 children were physically tortured, 7 died by snake bite, 83 children were trafficked and rescued, 200 were injured by different incidents, 4 were victims of corporal punishment, 42 were involved in criminal activities, 5 died by cold breeze.
Besides, the following incidents were major throughout the year. These are identified as child labourer 10, dead by fall on from the roof 4, dead for the negligence of doctor 2, 8 were dead in bomb blast, 50 were caused to death by harpoon, 8 were injured by food poisoning, 100 were injured by taking poison, 9 were injured by burnt, 1 was injured by electric shock, 19 were injured by bomb blast, 6 were injured by fall on from the roof, 9 were kidnapped and raped, 13 were kidnapped and killed, 600 were the victims of lack of education, 1 was caused to death in police custody, 1 new born child was rescued from the street, 2 died of thunder, 8 children were strangulated, 1 was the victim of suicide after being raped, 1 was tortured for dowry, 4 were the victims of attempted kidnap, 1 was intoxicated and 6 children were the victims of early marriage.
If we analyze the child rights situation of other years then it was found that the rape case, death by road accident and drawn in to the water these kind of incident took in a larger scale. Mentionable that the drawn in to the water is happened in the village area. So step should be taken to reduce the scenario. Government along with different institutes, NGOs should come forward to handle the matter.
Rape is one of the most serious child rights violations happening continuously due to their poverty, destitution and loneliness. Taking these advantages one type culprit of the society engaged themselves to this heinous activity. Lack of education, child rights, humanity and knowledge of law is the main reason for this kind of altercation.
Road accident is another major concern and the reason behind accidents is that lacks of family awareness, lack of transport/trafficking system, lack of concentration to the children. Desperate attitude of the driver is another main reason for this kind of incident.
Comparing this report to the previous year it is found that in the year of 2006, the suicide case happened 75 while 132 incidents happened in the year of 2007. In 2006, 47 incidents about trafficked and rescued happened while it was 83 in 2007. Torture is another grievous child rights violation and in the year of 2006, 41 children were the victims of torture while it was 81 in the year of 2007. Child early marriage is main tavern for the child development but this kind of incidents still happened frequently. In the year of 2006, 11 child early marriages were reported and this year it was 6. It was reported that during the year of 2006, 201 children were raped and in the year of 2007 this figure was 250. Acid thrown is also another concerning issue and it should be removed from the society immediately. But this kind of incident still occurs, in the year of 2006, 23 children were victimised of acid thrown while this figure were 15 in 2007.
So, from the above mentioned comparative study it is apparent that, except acid thrown and early child marriage, every other area of child rights violation multiplied manifold from the previous year. The comparative analysis shows us painful picture about the child rights scenario.
Children are the future leader of the nation and they are considered to be the ultimate resources of the country. If they are abused, exploited, tortured and missed out of accessing to all the necessary facilities for their physical, mental and social developments they can not be the worthy citizen to take over the leadership of the country. Therefore, sate should take more care to establish child rights in the country and obviously NGOs, civil society should take responsibility along with the government for the sustainability of the child development.
Bangladesh has signed and ratified the UNCRC to improve children's standard of lives and to work for the best interest of the children. Accordingly, a number of national laws and policies have been enacted in conformity with the international instruments. Article 28(4) of the Bangladesh Constitution states specifically that the state can make special provisions for protection and progress of children as a whole. Apart from existing Children Act of 1974, several new laws related to protection of children have been enacted. These include the National Children Policy of 1994 and the Prevention and Repression of Women and Children Act Ordinance of 2001. In addition, a National Council for Children was formed to ensure implementation and monitoring of child welfare activities related to UNCRC. But the child scenario in 2007 vividly negates these lofty ideals and creates a frustration. Being committed to the nation and the to the humanity at large the state parties, NGOs, civil societies and all other concern authorities should make collective and concerted efforts to promote and protect the rights of the child.
The writer is Research & Advocacy Officer, Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum
