Child rights also at stake

MANY of the readers must have been touched by the story of injured Tara and his 12-year-old son Sujan appeared in the front page of The Daily Star on February 8, 2015 entitled “He had a choice: Starving to death”. To explore livelihood option, the family took a bus for Dhaka and they had to pay dearly for this venture.  Alleged blockaders hurled a petrol bomb at their bus in Tulsighat area of Gaibandha on February 6, 2015. Both Sujan and his mother died while his father was undergoing through treatment for burn injury in the hospital.  Like Sujan, a total of 10 children died in the current spate of violence.

It has been stated in Article 6(1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), “States Parties recognise that every child has the inherent right to life” and Bangladesh is one of the earliest signatories of CRC. However, Bangladesh has failed to protect children from current string of violent political campaign initiated by the opposition alliance of 20 parties. Apart from those killed by fire bomb, a total of 20 children at least are undergoing through treatment after surviving bomb injury. 

It has further been stated in Article 6(2), “States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child”. Let alone development, ensuring survival of children in a volatile political climate appears to be a daunting task. Many of the arson victims were breadwinner of the family and children of those families would suffer as result of reduced income and increased vulnerabilities.

Those children who are undergoing through treatment in medical facility require long-term support from government. It has been stated in Article 24 (1) of CRC, “States Parties recognise the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services” and treatment of children affected by recent political campaign, therefore, must be a high priority.

Bangla daily Prothom Alo reported on February 10, 2015 that several attempts to involve children in renouncing violent political programme. Interestingly, Bangladesh Shishu Academy (BSA) allegedly patronised forming human chain where children mostly took part. Those children had to carry placard and horrific photos of arson victims. Human rights defenders of the country have long been protested against involvement of children in any form of political campaign and recent activities affiliated by BSA are evidently a clear violation of child rights. 

Involvement of children has clearly been prohibited in National Children Policy 2011. “The children cannot be used in the political activity, neither they could be lured and compelled to be involved in such activity”- said in Article 6.7.4 of the policy. 

Would policymakers and government agencies adhere to National Children Policy?

The writer is a human rights worker.