Bangladesh Child Policy 2011: Suitability Analysis

Mohammad Ashraful Islam(29)

MD. Deen Islam (14)

3rd Batch

Department of Development Studies

University of Dhaka

Analyzing Child Policy 2011:

Weather suitable or not

Persons who are below 18 will be considered as child

Persons who are between 14 to 18 will be considered as adolescents

Defining Child

Article 17 states that the basic education will be free and compulsory for all children

Article 28(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making special provision in favor of women or children or for the advancement of any backward section of citizens.

Constitution about Children

CRC(Convention on the rights of children) in 1989

Bangladesh is one of the first signatories and ratified countries of the CRC.

First children policy in 1994 and latest policy in 2011.

New things added in the new children policy are

Increase age limit of children from 14 to 18 Step to eradicate poverty of the children Special focus on the autistic children Including health related issues in the text book Protection of children during and after

calamities Entertainment and cultural activities for the

children etc.

CRC and Children policy…….

Ensuring Child Rights based on the International charters and constitution of Bangladesh

Reducing child poverty

Eliminating all kinds of violence and discrimination against children

Eliminating all kinds of violence and discrimination against female children

Participating and soliciting children’s opinion to ensure their safety and interest

Basic principles of the Policy

Ensuring secured birth and proper advancement of children

Eradicating child poverty

Ensuring nutrition and proper health services

Pre-primary education for the advancement of children

Ensuring proper education for children

Recreation and cultural activities

Prime Issues of the Policy

Special care for special and autistic children

Birth registration

Children in Ethnic and minor communities

Ensuring Protection for children during and after natural calamities

Special care to adolescent’s physical and mental growth

Measures towards eliminating child labor

Prime issues of the policy

CriticsEvery points are normative, far from reality

One policy for all types of children

There is no framework for rehabilitation of street children

There is no motive to eliminate street children from the country permanently

There is no special article to prevent child marriage

There is no allocation in Budget for street children

The policy should have clear cut direction about implementation plan

There should be different policy for different kind of children

There should be different policy for rural and urban children

There should be evening schools, for child labor

Managing half of adult’s working hour for child with full salaries

Recommendations

Thank you very much

Thank you very much