Experts and child representatives made these remarks while addressing a daylong sharing program for research with children held at Hotel Warisan in Rajshahi today. Photo : BSS

RAJSHAHI, Aug 14, 2025 (BSS) - Utmost emphasis should be given to protecting the children from all sorts of violence, repression, cruelty and negligence so that they can build themselves as worthy citizens.

Simultaneously, they should also be given ample opportunities to learn and grow to strengthen their mental and physical flourish, which is essential for building a healthy and prosperous nation.

Experts and child representatives made these remarks while addressing a daylong sharing program for research with children held at Hotel Warisan in the city today. 

The event was organised by the Association for Community Development (ACD) under the project titled 'Children Know Better: Making Child Participation the Key to Improving Effectiveness of Action against Sexual Exploitation of Children', supported by ECPAT International. 

The event underscored that children are not merely victims of sexual exploitation but also vital partners in identifying solutions. Their active participation, insights, and experiences can help reinforce child protection mechanisms.

Given that children are the future leaders, it is crucial to safeguard them against violence, repression, and sexual exploitation, as these factors can impede their overall development.

Around 25 participants, including the selected child leaders from Rajshahi City Corporation, Godagari and Mohanpur upazilas, and 10 peer educators, took part in the meeting. 

The main objective was to build leadership skills among children and empower them to prevent sexual exploitation through participatory research and data analysis. 

ACD Project Coordinator Ali Ahmed, Programme Officer Atia Tansima and Community Mobilizer Mantaka Akter conducted the training sessions as resource persons.