Dhaka:The newly established Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights of the 13th parliament convened its first meeting on Thursday, emphasizing the need for stronger parliamentary initiatives to protect children's rights through the creation of child-friendly laws and ensuring adequate budgetary allocations.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the meeting took place at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and was chaired by caucus President Sherin Sultana MP. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal attended as the chief guest and patron of the caucus.
During the gathering, caucus members discussed the vital role of lawmakers in safeguarding children's rights and fulfilling national and international commitments. This includes the development of child-friendly laws and policies, budget allocations, and accountability measures. They identified education, healthcare, and nutrition for girls, children with disabilities, children from marginalized communities, children in hilly areas, orphans, and disadvantaged children as priority areas.
The meeting underscored the importance of providing children with proper education on morality, human values, and religious teachings. Members proposed enhancing parliamentary initiatives, policy discussions, and oversight mechanisms by involving development partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure child rights protection.
Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal highlighted the necessity for lawmakers and stakeholders to actively participate and cooperate in protecting children's rights. He pointed out that while Bangladesh has numerous laws on children's rights, proper enforcement and implementation are crucial. He also stressed the importance of coordination among laws, budgets, and stakeholders, along with adopting short- and long-term action plans, and emphasized unity across political, professional, and geographical lines.
Caucus President Sherin Sultana called for collective efforts to ensure that public welfare programs reach people's doorsteps, advocating for effective coordination among parties to secure children's protection and rights. Representatives from the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, UNICEF Bangladesh, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and various development partners and organizations attended the meeting. Caucus members Morshed Milton MP, AKM Fazlul Haque Milon MP, Sk. Zahangir Hossain Helal MP, Anna Minj MP, and Madhabi Marma MP were also present.