UNB, Dhaka :
The gradual rise in income inequalities and violence are the two biggest threats to the global peace and security, said Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi at the 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly in the city on Sunday. “Income gap is widening gradually day by day. Only eight persons own the wealth amounting half of that of the total world population,” he said.
Kailash, an Indian activist of children rights and education advocate, was delivering his keynote address at an IPU session.
The session on ‘Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on Dignity and Well-being for All’ was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Kailash who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan in 2014 said some 1,000 million (100 crore) people of the world cannot earn US$ 2 a day that means they cannot feed their children properly and educate them. Citing the example of income inequality in the US, he said a few decades ago, the income ratio between the Chief Executive Officer and an employee of an organisation in the US was 20:1 but the gap now stands at 200:1. Talking about youths, he said if the youths were given power and if their voices are heard in society, then there will be a much more cheerful and powerful world.
Kailash, also Chairperson of the Global
March against Child Labour, depicted the miserable scenario of the world children adding that now some 230 million children across the world are living in the conflict areas. “Their lives and education are in danger.”
He urged the global community to stand by the under-privileged children to protecting them from child labour and child marriage. “It’s our collective responsibility to solve this problem.”
Noting that there is a good framework in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly Goal 8.7, he said, “I humbly request you on behalf of all these children – when you go back to your country – prioritise to achieve these goals.” The Nobel Laureate said only US$ 22 billion is needed for ensuring the primary education for all children across the world, which is 3.5 days military expenditure of the world. “Is the world is so poor to provide the amount of money? It is your responsibility to allocate necessary budgetary allocation.”
“When we are organising the Assembly, 270 million children are not attending school and 21 million people are being sold and became victim of slavery. This is unacceptable, this cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Some 100 million children are victims of different types of violence like slavery and trafficking and deprived of education. But on the other hand 100 million young people to do something for the children and they want to make the world a better place.
Noting that the youths have power, energy and ideology to change the world, he said, “If we do not harness this power, they would be frustrated, intolerant and violent.”
He urged the parliamentarians to provide support for making the world a better place for living.
Pointing to global terrorism and militant activities, he said, “We’ve seen how the young people being misguided and radicalised in some parts of the world, including South Asia. We want to create a new civilization-the civilization of global citizenship. We want a world with compassion. And this is the time my friends to globalise human compassion.”
The Nobel Laureate who founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement) in 1980, said Dhaka is the place and today is the day to begin a new journey to be united and there are no better reason for becoming united for the sake compassion to child.
About women empowerment, he said, “If the women were fully empowered and treated equally, in last five thousand years of civilization, we would not face so many problems, crisis and insecurity we are facing today.”
Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, President of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians of the IPU Margaret Mensah-Williams and President of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU Saeed Aloremeithi, among others, addressed the session of the five-day IPU assembly that began on Saturday.
The gradual rise in income inequalities and violence are the two biggest threats to the global peace and security, said Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi at the 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly in the city on Sunday. “Income gap is widening gradually day by day. Only eight persons own the wealth amounting half of that of the total world population,” he said.
Kailash, an Indian activist of children rights and education advocate, was delivering his keynote address at an IPU session.
The session on ‘Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on Dignity and Well-being for All’ was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Kailash who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan in 2014 said some 1,000 million (100 crore) people of the world cannot earn US$ 2 a day that means they cannot feed their children properly and educate them. Citing the example of income inequality in the US, he said a few decades ago, the income ratio between the Chief Executive Officer and an employee of an organisation in the US was 20:1 but the gap now stands at 200:1. Talking about youths, he said if the youths were given power and if their voices are heard in society, then there will be a much more cheerful and powerful world.
Kailash, also Chairperson of the Global
March against Child Labour, depicted the miserable scenario of the world children adding that now some 230 million children across the world are living in the conflict areas. “Their lives and education are in danger.”
He urged the global community to stand by the under-privileged children to protecting them from child labour and child marriage. “It’s our collective responsibility to solve this problem.”
Noting that there is a good framework in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly Goal 8.7, he said, “I humbly request you on behalf of all these children – when you go back to your country – prioritise to achieve these goals.” The Nobel Laureate said only US$ 22 billion is needed for ensuring the primary education for all children across the world, which is 3.5 days military expenditure of the world. “Is the world is so poor to provide the amount of money? It is your responsibility to allocate necessary budgetary allocation.”
“When we are organising the Assembly, 270 million children are not attending school and 21 million people are being sold and became victim of slavery. This is unacceptable, this cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Some 100 million children are victims of different types of violence like slavery and trafficking and deprived of education. But on the other hand 100 million young people to do something for the children and they want to make the world a better place.
Noting that the youths have power, energy and ideology to change the world, he said, “If we do not harness this power, they would be frustrated, intolerant and violent.”
He urged the parliamentarians to provide support for making the world a better place for living.
Pointing to global terrorism and militant activities, he said, “We’ve seen how the young people being misguided and radicalised in some parts of the world, including South Asia. We want to create a new civilization-the civilization of global citizenship. We want a world with compassion. And this is the time my friends to globalise human compassion.”
The Nobel Laureate who founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement) in 1980, said Dhaka is the place and today is the day to begin a new journey to be united and there are no better reason for becoming united for the sake compassion to child.
About women empowerment, he said, “If the women were fully empowered and treated equally, in last five thousand years of civilization, we would not face so many problems, crisis and insecurity we are facing today.”
Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, President of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians of the IPU Margaret Mensah-Williams and President of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU Saeed Aloremeithi, among others, addressed the session of the five-day IPU assembly that began on Saturday.
