DHAKA, June 11, 2018 (BSS) – The country elsewhere the world will
observe the World Day Against Child Labor to raise awareness of the plight of
child laborers world-wide.
Each year on 12 June, the World Day brings together governments,
employers and workers organisations, civil society, as well as millions of
people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers and
what can be done to help them.
Marking the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
today gave separate messages with a call for a more effective role of private
organisations, individuals, national and international agencies, civil
society and media alongside the government to prevent child labour.
“The government has fixed child labour elimination as one of the indexes
to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. So the government is determined to
keep children safe in all fields including disaster and conflict,” President
Hamid said.
The theme of the day this year is “Generation: Safe and healthy”.
The President appreciated the theme saying that it is very time-
befitting.
He said Bangladesh has already ratified the UN charter on child rights,
the ILO convention on prevention and elimination of hazardous child labour.
Abdul Hamid said the government has formulated National Child Labour
Elimination Policy 2010 to prevent child labour.
The President also said the government has identified 38 jobs as
hazardous for children and they are being withdrawn from hazardous jobs and
given vocational and technical educations.
He said the government is implementing Education for All programmes for
the sake of children’s welfare and development.
In another message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government has
formulated Domestic Worker Protection and Welfare Policy 2015 to ensure
rights of children working as household activities.
She said National Child Labour Welfare Council with the association of
ILO has been working to strengthen the capacity of divisional, district and
upazila committees to eliminate child labour.
Echoing the remarks of the President, Sheikh Hasina also said all
students are being provided with textbooks, education materials as well as
stipends under ‘Education For All’ programme and school feeding programme is
functioning in poverty-stricken areas for the development and welfare of
children.
“Due of our government’s pragmatic steps, child labour has reduced in the
country,” she said.
The President and the Prime Minister wished success of all programmes
marking World Day Against Child Labour 2018.