In observance of the World Day against Child Labour, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) formed a human chain and consultation at DIFE, Kawran Bazar in the city on Wednesday with the support of CLIMB Project of INCIDIN Bangladesh .
Sakeun Nahar Begum NDC, Additional Secretary of MoLE was the Chief Guest while Adv Salma Ali as special guests. The consultation was chaired by Md Joynal Abedin, Inspector General, DIFE while AKM Masud Ali, Executive Director of INCIDIN Bangladesh presented the key-note paper.
Representatives of ILO, NGOs, trade unions, media and INGOs attended the event alongside the government representatives. AHM Zaman Khan represented Winrock International, Mohammad ObaidulHaque from Save the Children International, Shabira Nupur from World Vision and Z. M. Kamrul Anam from BLF addressed as designated panel discussants.
In his speech AKM Masud Ali, Executive Director, INCIDIN Bangladesh mentioned thatBangladesh had successfully halved the number of working children (from 7.90 million it fell to 3.45 million) and child labour (from 3.38 million it fell to 1.70 million) in the last decade. However, in that decade the number of the children in hazardous sector reduced negligibly (from 1.29 million it fell to 1.28 million) .
This calls of setting a priority on these sectors. The three necessary actions of the moments are- first, revision of the NPA to integrate it with the SDG implementation plan and upcoming FYP; second- revision of the list of hazardous child labour to include sectors such as the dry-fish and domestic work; and third- ratification of relevant ILO conventions to expand protection of children.
Adv Salma Ali, human rights lawyer focused on the need oflearning from the experience of Camel Jockey. She mentioned of a need of legal advocacy. At the same time, the new survey is required to frame effective policy and interventions. The media needs to be motivated and engaged to raise public and policy awareness. The NCLWC needs to be strengthened to coordinate among all the stakeholders for data sharing and program implementation.
Chief Guest said as a middle income country, it is now a priority of the government to invest in withdrawing children from the curse of child labour. The statement of the Prime Minister is extremely significant. It highlights the importance of eliminating child labour within the timeframe set in SDG. The government is gradually progressing towards achievement of this goal, she mentioned.
