Children's rights should be restored

Many children in our country are not getting opportunity to grow up well. Incidents of child abuse and torture are happening frequently. They are not well protected at all. We always come across the reports of child torture and violation of child rights in the media. It is seen that children are being victims of repression and discrimination in family and society.

Many children are getting deprived of an environment helpful for the proper growing up and development of human qualities of children. They are getting deprived of rights for quality education, health service, sports and opportunity of cultural programmes. We are leading our children to ill competition from their childhood which turns into a competitive form at final stage. Many of the children are becoming child workers losing their bright childhood. They are being victims of bitter insult, brutal physical and mental torture in family, educational institutions and society.

A report of Save the Children, a leading child rights promoting organisation, also highlights the condition of children in Bangladesh. The report in which the international organisations have highlighted about the childhood condition of children in Bangladesh is disappointing. According to the report published on Thursday, the position of Bangladesh is 134 in childhood protection of children. Even India, Maldives and Sri Lanka in the South Asian countries are ahead of us. Childhood of around 70 crore children or more than it in the world is getting finished before the stipulated time.

In fact, we can hardly ensure a proper environment for our children to grow up as a dignified human being. Our children are now seen to stare at the open sky through window. They are seen to pass their most of time in playing games at smartphones or watching YouTube videos 24 hours a day. The way the textbooks are prepared for the children keeps them busy too. They always remain under pressure.

Children are seen to carry heavy bag containing books for schools at their early age. Again, it is seen that some guardians force their children to take part in an ill competition from the very beginning of the education life. As a result, their natural development is hampered. They cannot enjoy the hilarious moments of their life. Main problem for many children in rural areas is poverty which hampers their natural development and study life as well. Their physical and mental development is not happening properly.

The measures which have been designed for the welfare and rights protection of children are not adequate. It is needed to properly review the existing measures or apply new measures in this regard if necessary. We have to ensure an environment helpful for the better development of the children. It is their fundamental right. And it is our responsibility to give back their rights. Family, schools, society and state will have to come forward to restore their rights.

risingbd/DHAKA/June 5, 2017/Ali Nowsher/Amirul