Laila Khondkar

According to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019 by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF, 89 percent of children (1-14 years) in Bangladesh experienced violent discipline in the month before the survey was conducted.

“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.

The most common misconceptions about child sex abuse is that it is only perpetrated by strangers and that it is gender specific to girls. Some think that children from poor families are vulnerable to abuse and children who are healthy

While looking into this matter of mother-child relationship we have come across some interesting specialist's viewpoints regarding the

I often get confused when I hear that children have a right to express their views on issues affecting them. Does it mean that we have to listen to whatever children say?

Sometimes I wonder how the future generations will view our time. For example, what will be their reaction when they come to know of the child labour situation in our society?

I have a 3-year-old son. He is very active and does not listen to what I say. Sometimes I end up shouting at him.

"I am a good teacher, as I do not scold or punish my students. If they do not understand something then I explain it to them,” declared a four-year-old who was acting out the role of a “teacher”; the “students” were his parents.

For the last few days, I have been thinking of a group of adolescent girls (studying in high school) whom I met in a char of Lalmonirhat district several years ago.

This was what a renowned paediatrician said to the parent of a four year old child. The comment illustrates the level of frustration and helplessness about the air pollution of Dhaka.

In the last one and a half years, 24 girls below three years were raped. It was also reported that most of the perpetrators were known to the children.