The government has declared 43 types of work as hazardous for children—jobs that threaten their physical and mental development.
Daily acts of punishment cause thousands of injuries and deaths among children each year.
In Bangladesh, visually challenged people have little access to the rich world of literature, an exclusion that limits their ability to experience the joy of storytelling.
Are we truly creating an environment that fosters love for books among children?
Studies reveal startling trends: adolescents spending over three hours daily on social media are twice as likely to face anxiety and depression.
Child marriage in Bangladesh hinders girls' education and lifelong opportunities.
In Bangladesh, 361 students, a significant percentage of whom were elementary students, succumbed to suicide between January and August in 2023.
It is our responsibility to make society safe for girls by strengthening child protection system at the community and national levels.
“Girls do not look smart, they are pretty”—said a five-year-old Bangladeshi boy after a comment by the mother that his sister (three years old) was looking “smart”.
From the char of Lalmonirhat to a slum in Khulna, I have met many adolescent girls across Bangladesh who are united in their resolve to continue education, who make extraordinary efforts to go to schools.
According to the Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020, each year, half of the world’s children (approximately one billion) are affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence, suffering injuries, disabilities and death.
On March 12, 2020, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine organised a discussion titled “Discrimination and Racism During Coronavirus Outbreak”.
All over the world, we are seeing more and more girls raising their voice for their rights. From stopping child marriages to standing up against gender-based violence and demanding action to address the climate emergency—girls are refusing to be ignored.
A report titled, “Keeping the Promise: Ending Violence Against Children by 2030” has recently been presented by Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children, at a side event, “Putting Children at the Heart of the 2030 Agenda” during the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
While working in Liberia during 2013-2014, I along with the team had an opportunity to support the government in implementing their deinstitutionalisation policy.
I remember I was in the classroom of a high school in a small district of Bangladesh when several students appeared at the door, and sought permission from our teacher to say a few words before everyone.
Sexual violence including rape of girls and women is a serious concern in our society today. Recently, several cases of rape in public transport have made the headlines.
After working on child rights for the most part of my professional life, I have come to realise that there is a very limited understanding of children's rights in our society.
