Rights activists have called for legislative and policy action to end child labour and protect the young domestic workers in the country.
They also called on the government, workers' and employers' organisations, civil society groups and international organisations to work together to check all forms of violence against child domestic workers.
The call came at a roundtable on 'Situation of Child Domestic Worker & Human Rights: Protection, Challenges and Way Forward' in the capital on Monday.
The Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), a platform of child rights organisations, in association with the Terre Des Hommes Netherlands and Global March Against Child Labour organised the event.
The rights activists warned that if abuse and exploitation of child domestic workers cannot be stopped, the country might not achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The elimination of child labour is explicitly referred to 8.7 SDG target which commits the global community to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour and end child labour in all its forms by 2025.
Advocate Sultana Kamal, a human rights activist and adviser of a former caretaker government, attended the event as the chief guest, with BSAF chairperson Dr Khawja Shamsul Huda in the chair.
Country director of Terre Des Hommes Netherlands Mahmudul Kabir and country director of Shapla Neer Bangladesh office Tomoko Uchiyama were present as special guests.
BSAF Director Abdus Shahid Mahmood gave the address of welcome.
Advocate Sultana Kamal said the Domestic Workers' Welfare and Protection Policy 2015 is yet to be implemented through enacting a law to this end.
She also called for enacting a law to put an end to the abuse of child domestic workers.
She also laid emphasis on the need to raise awareness and change the mindset of people to protect the child domestic workers' rights.
Ms Tomoko Uchiyama thanked the government for formulating the policy to protect domestic workers' rights.
Country director of Terre Des Hommes Mahmudul Kabir said the existing policy for domestic workers is not serving the purpose of protecting their rights.
Rather, the situation is deteriorating day by day and the children are becoming the worst victims of abuse and exploitation, he said.
Dr Khawja Shamsul Huda said human and social values should be promoted to put an end to the torture of children working in the households.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
