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Strengthening Rights of the Children
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Child Labor and particularly
worst form of child labor in Bangladesh is on the rise because of increased both increased
supply and demand situation. Increased poverty, parents' perceptions, poor education
system, lack of knowledge about rights greatly influence the children's supply in the
labor force while less pay, intimidated into obedience, less likely to join trade unions
or to insist on their rights, more trustworthy, more willing to take orders and do
monotonous work, and less likely to be absent from work are the prime motivation for the
employers to employ children |
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Over the past two decades, repeated
natural disasters such as cyclones, tidal waves, floods, droughts and other natural, social
and economic adversities have had especially severe effects in the south eastern coastal areas
of Bangladesh. A significant number of children under the age of 15 who had lost their mother
or father or both parents in natural disasters, the majority of them are from this region.
This has compelled many children to become the heads of their households and take on the adult
responsibilities which accompany such a role. The national statistics estimates that children
commonly contribute around 30-35 percent of family income. This contribution in coastal
regions of Cox’s bazaar is much higher.
The Ministry of Labor and Manpower
and UNICEF identified a list of economic activities as hazardous for involving children such
as automobile workshop, battery recharging shop, plastic recycle factory, painting works,
electric and engineering workshop, welding worker, fishing trawlers and deep sea fishing, fish
fry collection, tobacco processing and cigarette factory, etc. The hazards, associated with
these activities, are largely due to: exposure to flames, working with electricity, exposure
to harmful chemical substances, carcinogens, neurotoxins, gases, fumes and organic dust,
handling garbage, high-speed machinery, inappropriate hand tools, sharp equipment, extreme
heat or cold, insufficient light, heavy loads, continuous working with ice and water without
appropriate safety gears.
ChangeMaker and Assistance for Safe
Community (ASC) have designed a program in partnership with communities, governments and the
private sector in Cox’s Bazaar Sadar, Chakaria and Lama Districts of Chittagong Division to
ensure safe and quality childhood and right to proper development to the working children in
different formal and informal subsectors. The primary objective of the project is to integrate
the community, business and government organizations to:
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Create Mass Awareness
regarding Worst Form of Child Labor, Exploitation, Abuse and Trafficking of Children to
the members of community, parents and business enterprises emphasizing Social Marketing
and Behavior Change tools.
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Form a Children Exploitation
Surveillance Committee (CESC)
to prevent violation of Child
Right in the community, protection of children from trafficking and employment in
hazardous jobs.
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Develop Children Clubs
to foster quality physical, metal and spiritual development of children, where children
will educate themselves about their rights, find sources of redress, would engage in
public hearing with Local Government, Market Committees, and employers.
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Ensure Workplace Improvement
through application of a Commonly Accepted Code of Conduct and Socially and
Environmentally Responsible Business Principles.
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Strengthen Service Provisions
(education, health, legal, etc.) and link service providers (ICDDRB-Chakariaa,
Chiringa Hospital, Government and non-government educational and development institutions,
etc.) with children, children clubs, employers and organizations working with children
issues.
It is expected that through the
above program activities, about 2,000 children, 1,000 private business enterprises, 5,000
families and government officials will be made aware about worst form of children, its
remedies, learn community actions, engage in monitoring and surveillance and have alternative
means to mitigate the present status in Cox’s bazaar district especially sadar thana of Cox’s
bazaar, Chakaria and Lama.
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