Children remain neglected as they used to be
04 February 2023
It has been found that climate change is also a driver of violence against children, including child marriage and child labour. A few days ago, the Unicef Representative to Bangladesh Sheldon Yett pointed out that children are at the frontlines of the climate crisis. The most vulnerable are forced into overcrowded city slums where they often take on hazardous work to survive and are at greater risk for child marriage or sex work.
If they are not rehabilitated and given the right kind of education, and a congenial atmosphere is not created for them to grow up as healthy citizens, they are bound to lead a deviated life. Nobody will say that an ideal atmosphere for children exists in Bangladesh. Like its women members, children are also constantly facing violence from the elders of society including parents, teachers, and job givers as well as elders in the neighbourhoods where children live.
Children experience at least three types of violence: physical, sexual, and domestic. The children of the lower income group of society mostly are victims of these kinds of torture. Violence pushes them to steal and rob as well as begging. Since the lower income groups of people are the majority in Bangladesh, it presents a very depressing scenario because the section of rich and educated people in the true sense in our society is small.
The fact must be accepted that even though there are stringent laws for deterrence against violence, as they are hardly implemented, the problem is not only continuing, in reality, it is increasing also. That is why to control violence, it is as much necessary to educate the members of the society as it is important to enforce the relevant laws in their words and spirit.
When it is related to educating people about crimes, if education and punishment for criminal behaviour does not act as complementary, it is not possible to bring the desired change in society regarding violence against children. Social awareness development groups and NGOs as well as media with the active help from the government can do this by organising campaigns against violence.
