Child labour issue-Bangladesh perspective

N S M Muzzammel HuqChild labour is considered as exploitative and illegal employment of children at regular and sustained labour. The term child labour is often defined as work that deprives Children of their childhood, their potentials and dignity and that is harmful to physical and mental development. Children engaged in child labour are enslaved or separated from their families. They are exposed to serious hazardous work and illness. Whether a work can be called 'child labour' depends on the child's age and the type, hours and conditions of work. It varies from society to society, country to country. However, participation of children or adolescents in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere their education may be considered as positive. The activities that help their parents at home or assist family business outside school hours and at holidays, without hampering study hours and playtimes, help to develop themselves as productive members of the society in their adulthood. The International Labour Organisation's (ILO) International Programme of the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) was created in 1992 with the overall goal of the progressive elimination of child labour. It envisaged promoting a worldwide movement to counteract child labour. The core objective was to include all to fight against child labour taking it as a crime against humanity towards ensuring decent future. Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries of the world, is characterised by having all the causes of child labour. Poverty, illiteracy, family breakups, lack of knowledge of parents are relevant factors as the main socio-economic factors contributing behind child labour. There is no denying the fact that despite the expansion of the economic activities, generation of employment opportunities and immense dimensions in the Iabour market, the incidence of poverty continues to remain high in Bangladesh. According to National Child Labour Survey 2003 by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 7.42 million children aged 5 17 years in Bangladesh are economically active. 3.18 million of them are child labourers. As compared to girls, the proportion of child labour is higher among boys (77 per cent). The survey also projected that about 1.3 million children, most of whom are boys, work for 43 hours or more per week and their work is considered as hazardous work. In Bangladesh 65 per cent of total employment is created by informal sector in urban areas. The lack of labour protection and regular labour inspection in the informal sector encourage the employers to engage children in hazarders and exploitative works. As a result, Bangladesh experiences high incidence of child labour. The issue of child labour is a multi dimensional and multi sectoral problem. As poverty is rampant in our country, the demand for child labour from the employers and request from the guardians for employment of their children often meet in the even points. The factors like population growth, adult unemployment, lack of minimum wages, exploitation of workers, lack of education and legal support, and institutional shortcomings are also contributing to high incidence of child labour. The lack of awareness regarding negative consequences on the part of parents, guardians, employers, policy makers at different levels and community at large are responsible for the existence of worst forms of child labour in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh is committed to eliminate child labour and accordingly has taken various measures. Through ratification of the ILO convention No. 182 and development of relevant policies, enactment and enforcement of Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA) 2006 that prohibited the employment of Children below the age of 14 years even in normal work. In March 2010, this law also restricted the employment of adolescent below the age of 18 years for hazardous work. The Government of Bangladesh also adopted the National Child Labour Elimination Policy 2010 with a prime objective of making a meaningful change in the lives of the children by barring their employment in hazardous works and worst forms of child labour. The child labour and adolescents issue has also been mainstreamed into national strategic polices such as Second Poverty Reduction Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction (NSAPR) 2009 2011 and Non formal Education Policy Framework. Different government ministries and institutions are also undertaking various child labour related activities to address the issue. With all its limited resources, the government of Bangladesh has been implementing programmes for elimination of child labour and success is being achieved. But only policies and limited activities are not enough to address the child labour issue. Massive awareness and advocacy campaign against child labour is essential at national level. Campaign will help to disseminate information and raise awareness amongst different strata of people and can help change understanding on child labour by enhancing knowledge. So sensitisation of policy makers, members of different organisations, society, the media and the people with the abilities to influence public opinion is a demand of the time. It is hoped that dynamic links within civil society members, policy makers and the groups working to eliminate child labour will forge unity and uniformity to address the issue. In this context media can play a significant role in sensitising and awareness raising initiative. The three wings of media electronic, print and interpersonal communication can deploy their experiences, tools and expert communication technique to change the mind set of the people of all sections policy makers, government officials, civil society, community leaders and the mass at large. Community Radio can also play a distinctive role in this regard. Film as a powerful media can reach the messages to the population at the grassroots level. We need a concerted move to address the child labour issue. To make our future bright and prosperous, we need promising children who will be nourished in a. society where there will be no exploitation of children, or at least the worst forms of child labour will be eliminated. The article is a PID UNICEF Feature. Press Information Department (PID) can be reached at email: piddhaka@gmaff.com