MEDIA reports on Friday highlighted how children are falling victim to physical abuse and public silence to protest against such crime is only encouraging the perpetrators. It quoted the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as saying the names of the culprits and their shame must be exposed to the public as such action would help curb the crime. Speakers at a National Convention to protect rights of children, organised by some NGOs at Jatiya Press Club in the capital said most children are falling victim of abuse in the capital because they have no open playground. Culprits take advantage of the absence of open space and urged the city mayors to provide playgrounds to children so that they can grow up in healthy environment. Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Annisul Haque was present. About child abuse, they held the view that hearing of such cases in Speedy Trial Tribunals and their exemplary punishment may produce effective results.
Needless to say, experts in the event have also laid emphasis on massive public awareness campaigns against repression on children. There is no alternative to proper enforcement of laws to ensure their safety. Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs sought help from civil society organizations to this end saying it was not possible for the government alone to deal with the crime. Some have even suggested to set up a new ministry or a directorate to deal with child abuse. But what is need to be noted is that mere setting up new establishment is not enough, even existing laws and institutions are sufficient to stop the abuse if the required political will is there and the law enforcers are empowered to handle criminals effectively.
Violence against children seems to be unspeakable now where beast like cruelties were meted out in many cases without care to the rule of law or fear for punishment. Gang beatings of teenage boys and rape of minor girls are on rise. Such anarchy is spreading as lawlessness is dominating the socio-political scene. The sad reality is that most cases of violence against children are unreported and unrecorded. Many believe that cruelty to children has a direct bearing from the country’s volatile politics where ruling party cadres particularly enjoy impunity under political shelter and police tolerate them instead of putting them on trial.
In our view, protection to children from torture at home and abuse in the outdoor must be top on the priority of the government where NGOs and civil society bodies must also lend hands to create resistance against child abuse. The problem is that if an affected child ever becomes traumatized, its impact on their mental growth will be disastrous. Side by side quick punishment to the culprits must be ensured to pass the message that child’s abuse will not be tolerated any more.
