Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque and Nasir Uddin :
Governance of course with the addition of prefix ‘good’ is sinequanon for efficient development management. NGO’s development intervention is now a favorite of intellectual discussion as it very much concerns about institutional governance with the participation of the stakeholders to fulfill its desired objectives. Beneficiaries of public policy look to NGOs for better service for ameliorating their socio-economic conditions. The NGOs with voluntarism are expected to fulfill expectations of various groups of stakeholders through its well and systematic intervention. Its governance-led distributional profile is based on the parameters of participation, empowerment and accountability.
NGOs have long been handling their projects by structured flexibility approach, self-assessment mechanism, regular monitoring and intermittent change of techniques, if situation demands. This is really efficient and apt management of implementation. They are found working in an enabling working environment that they themselves created with participatory component, decentralization and motivation. In health care sector, for illustration, there has emerged some positive changes in health bevaviour. Based on the index of health development there has been astounding improvement in health awareness, especially awareness about STD/HIV/AID, immunization, balanced diet and maternity services.
We may have much to take lessons from NGO’s health management projects. This is of course result-oriented. The paramedics are well trained health workers doing their utmost to the satisfaction of the people. The resource persons at the apex of project management treat things well in a professional manner.
NGOs like BRAC, CRITAS, ASA, Proshika, UNICEP etc have come forward to enlighten our society with a scheme of non-formal education. The happen to address the issues of drop-outs. Thing is that Formal education is not inclusive and participatory. The poor child is left out. He/she cannot benefit from formal schooling finding it hard to cope with a rigid institutional situation and the demands of close system and thus drop out. All the same NGOs non-formal education has proved to be good alternative motivating the poor children. In fact non-formal institutions like open air school, distant education and mobile schooling are most likely to cater to the needs of street children, maverick and vagrant.
The NGOs are complementing the government in the implementation of child development policies. The major areas/sectors or policy goals are ‘basic education’, ‘health and nutrition’, water and environmental sanitation’, ‘children in need of special protection’, ‘social integration, participation and cultural affairs’, and ‘information and communication’. The other goals were gender equity, elimination of child labor and children requiring special protection.
In pursuance of the fundamental principles of the Constitution and the UN CRC, the Government of Bangladesh decided to formulate and implement a National Policy on Children (NPC) in December 1994, to ensure the security, welfare and development of children. The policy highlights the importance of providing adequate services to children, including health, nutrition and education. It also stipulates that a “proper family environment” is one of the main preconditions for the proper development of a child. The NPC identified the need for assistance to children in difficult circumstances, and ensures the protection of the legal rights of children within the national, social and family context. The policy clearly states that the Government has adopted the principle of ‘Best Interest of the Children’ – that is, in all national, social, family or personal situations, the best interest of the child will be held paramour.
Most experts on child rights opine that child related policies concern about children development, their participation and their rights. Obviously we have a cluster of good laws and programmes in connection with child rights and development. Notwithstanding legislative measures and programmatic intervention the most vulnerable children continue to suffer manifold harassments and negligence. They are growing up on the margins of society in a state of neglect and deprivation, without educations, affection, care and guidance. Once a child takes to the street there is a strong possibility that the child, both girls and boys may end up sexually abused and exploited. This is because survival becomes the sole priority – in the absence of alternatives, street children are forced to do anything, which keep them alive.
When the community makes plans, it does not take into consideration the poor children’s plight. They tend to be excluded from participating in most of the activities and facilities of other children. This is one reason why they often do not have access to medical, educational, recreational and vocational resources. They face problems such as lack of vaccinations; poor health, illiteracy and they cannot acquire skills needed for finding jobs.
Society perceives the vulnerable children as children in difficult circumstances. Their vulnerability is at peak. This is due to the state of gap in existing laws and policies to protect their rights. There is no protection against child labour that may be termed as torture. ILO and Unicef advocate for measures to curb child labour.
The UN Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has been universally ratified. The present government is actively considering formulation of a national child labour policy. It is, of course, a good move. We have a child policy. But we do not have child labour policy. We may contend that if there is child labour there must be must be a control mechanism to erase its evils through legislation and public policy.
One may wonder whether all such policy and legislative measures will be mere paper tigers. We have laws to protect child workers from the deluge of exploitation. The problem lies with implementation. If antiquated legal procedures and codes framed during the colonial period come into conflict with a future child labour policy the implementation process will be in the dock.
(Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque, Professor of Public Administration, University of Chittagong, and Md. Nasir Uddin, Lecturer of Public Administration, University of Chittagong.)
