BMirror Desk :
Any negligence towards girl children is a blow to the nation,” says Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar.
The National Girl Child Advocacy Forum has put forth several urgent recommendations, including the immediate enactment of a “Sexual Harassment Prevention and Remedy Act,” ensuring expedited judicial processes for all cases of child abuse, rape, and murder, focusing on the welfare of girl children. These recommendations were presented today, September 24, 2024, at a press conference organized by the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum in collaboration with Educo Bangladesh, held at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club. The event was part of the celebration of National Girl Child Day and highlighted the report titled “Observing the Picture of Violence and Abuse Against Girl Children-2024” by the forum.
The conference was chaired by Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, President of the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum. Speakers included Ms. Shaheena Akhtar Dolly, Vice President of the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum and Executive Director of Narimaitee; Mr. Mainuddin Mainul, Country Director of Good Neighbors Bangladesh; Mr. Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Specialist in Child Rights and Protection at Educo Bangladesh; and Ms. Halima Akhtar, Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Educo Bangladesh.
The event was moderated by Advocate Salma Ali, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA). The keynote presentation was delivered by Syeda Ahsana Jaman (Annie), National Coordinator of the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum.
Notably, the “National Girl Child Advocacy Forum” is a platform consisting of 206 like-minded government and non-governmental organizations and individuals working towards the positive change of the status and rights of girl children and women. The forum has been actively engaged in various initiatives related to women’s and girl children’s rights and protection since its establishment in 2002. In his speech, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar emphasized, “Girl children are our assets; they are not a burden. Due to a lack of adequate investment in girl children, many suffer from malnutrition and are deprived of quality education. Early marriages force many of our girl children to become mothers at a young age, resulting in the birth of malnourished children—an issue our nation must pay for.”
He noted that, like China and Japan, which once faced significant nutritional challenges, we must ensure proper investment in our girl children. If we fail to promote awareness through National Girl Child Day celebrations, our girl children will fall behind, which will be detrimental to us as a nation.
Dr. Majumdar added that, thanks to the advocacy efforts of the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, Bangladesh has celebrated National Girl Child Day since 2000. Additionally, since 2011, International Day of the Girl Child has been observed globally at the United Nations’ initiative, making Bangladesh a pioneer in celebrating such days for girl children.
Shaheena Akhtar Dolly highlighted that although several laws have been enacted alongside the National Women’s Development Policy, many women and girl children still face various forms of abuse and discrimination. “What does it say about our ability to create a livable and safe society for women and girl children even after 53 years of independence?”
Advocate Salma Ali stated that women and girl children are not safe anywhere, whether at home, outside, or in schools, as they face various forms of abuse and sexual harassment. Despite existing high court directives on preventing sexual harassment, the proper implementation of laws has been lacking. The forum is actively pushing for the passage of a sexual harassment prevention law to address these issues and ensure victims can seek legal recourse. .”
Mohammad Shahidul Islam expressed that both the government and private development organizations, along with the media, could play a vital role in establishing and promoting the rights and welfare of women and children. If the media could publish a monthly report on issues affecting girl children, it would help raise awareness and prompt policymakers to take necessary actions.
During the keynote presentation, Syeda Ahsana Jaman (Annie) remarked, “Women and girl children in our society are continually subjected to violence. A review of various news reports shows that no one, from newborn girls to 70-year-old women, is safe from patriarchal views and gender-based violence. According to information from One-Stop Crisis Centers (OCCs), over 62,000 women and children have sought assistance for physical and sexual abuse and burn injuries in the past 23 years, with only 19,441 cases filed. According to police headquarters data, between 2018 and 2023, there were between 16,000 to 22,500 cases filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Furthermore, women and girl children have also faced harassment and mental abuse online.”
She reported that the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum has gathered data from 70 daily newspapers (24 national dailies, 45 local newspapers, and 5 online outlets) from January to August this year. According to media monitoring data, during these eight months, a total of 28 girl children were victims of sexual harassment and abuse, 224 were raped, 19 were victims of kidnapping and trafficking, 10 domestic workers faced abuse, 133 girl children chose suicide, 81 were murdered, 20 died under mysterious circumstances, and 187 girl children drowned during the first eight months of this year.
