Wares Ali Khan :
The fulfillment of children’s rights guarantees our beloved kids to be physically and mentally self-sufficient and thrived through a healthy, better, safer, and beautiful living environment. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children, individuals under the age of 18 are considered children. We exclusively understand that today’s children are the future of tomorrow’s nation. Thence, the more they are enriched in physical and mental health and are protected, privileged and safe; the reinforced and strengthened the future of the nation will be.
The premier rights that have been mentioned in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children are- a) The right to life such as assurance of getting health care, nutritious food, safe water, and a healthy environment. b) The right to development. Such as the right to education, the right to a standard of living suitable for the total development of the child, the right to leisure, and participation in cultural activities. c) The right to protection. Such as in the case of being refugee children, children separated from the family, children who are likely to be exploited, abused, and neglected. d) The right to participate. Such as the right to speak freely, the right to freely interact with others, and the right to seek information and ideas.
To ensure the holistic welfare of the children is undoubtedly a paramount task. Children regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, or gender have an equal right to be protected from all forms of abuse and violence. They are also entitled to receive the fulfillment of basic needs, and to be safe and protected in all settings. To promote the ground well-being of children, it is essential to work in partnership with organizations working with children, with their parents, guardians, community stakeholders, and concerned quarters. Here, we have to value children, listen to them, and give them due respect. If there is any problem related to children’s rights, care, and protection, we, of course, will inform the concerned children’s affairs agencies and respective authorities.
Easy access and uncontrolled use of technology might threaten the future of a child. Especially when a child easily gets a smartphone as well as the opportunity of free engagement on the internet, he/she might have faced some undiagnosed challenges. Now and again, uncensored online activities can not only harm the kids but also involve them in immoral activities, such as growing up with or being sexually harassed, creating and distributing offensive images of teenagers, a continuation of physical and mental abuse, spreading vindictive pornography, doing the harassment, and hateful behavior. By the way, their tender minds might seriously be disrupted and void at the beginning phase of life.
Let our children have fun and express themselves in their way. Allocating and spending time with our kids at home can be a great opportunity for them to share their opinions, views, and perceptions with us. From an early age, it is substantial to develop the habit of reading. Fostering a reading habit can expand a child’s mental growth and augment the ability to inflate the horizon of the mind and express thoughts.
A sound and healthy childhood do not necessarily mean only having the physical soundness of a child. Rather children need to be kept healthy, fit and sound both physically and mentally. Typically, we the parents tend to pay much attention to the physical development of the children often forgetting their anticipated mental growth. But the truth is, if the child is not mentally sound, the expected growth and development will certainly be a far cry.
When a child grows up, the environment around him/her affects a lot and reshapes his/her personality traits. Hence, the environment and surroundings are closely involved with the gross development of the children. Today’s children are the citizens of the future. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all quarters to make sure that children are enjoying their beautiful, fearless, and charming childhood.
It is a bitter truth that most of the children in the country cannot enjoy their required rights. Against such a backdrop, everyone has to come to a consensus to build the future of the nation giving priority to the child’s rights. Necessary steps should be undertaken considering the children of Bangladesh are getting the benefits of the Child Rights Charter. In this regard, GO entities, NGOs, policymakers, intellectuals, civil society, legal guardians, and responsible stakeholders need to come forward in an integrated approach to ensure the fulfillment of children’s rights to which they are entitled to.
We the concerned citizens sincerely desire that a ‘Child Welfare Board’ will be incorporated in every district shortly in the country. And the perpetrators of executing cruelty, misbehavior, misconduct, and abuse to children, and violators of their designated rights must be brought to justice and punished having no delay. If necessary, all the relevant laws have to be amended following the befitting requirements.
(Mr. Khan is a teaching professional).
