Late last year in Dhaka, various government officials and non-governmental organizations came together for the Bangladesh Parliamentary Caucus for Children’s Rights as part of the IPD conference and held in the Parliament House. Their shared goal was to advance an agenda combating sexual harassment, violence against women, and exploitation of children.
At the meeting, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Fazle Rabbi Miah, urged social researchers, civil society, the media, community leaders and families to work with the government in a collaborative approach to prevent all forms of violence against and the exploitation of women and children.
While the meeting’s purpose was to discuss the creation of a comprehensive women’s and children’s rights law, the meeting participants recognized that creating a law is only one part in the effort to prevent child abuse and sexual harassment. Sustainable community change includes the need to raise wide social awareness and to hold institutions accountable for enforcing the law.
The Deputy Speaker highlighted that it is crucial to include both men and women in an effort to support the welfare of women and children. Recognizing this moment as “the golden time for women,” Mr. Fazle Rabbi Miah argued that the Caucus should take advantage of the current women’s rights movement to institutionalize the legal protection of women and children.
In attendance at the Caucus were the Chairman Mir Shawkat Ali Badshah, various parliamentary representatives, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, the Bangladesh Country Director of The Hunger Project-Bangladesh, the Deputy Country Director of Plan International Bangladesh, and various representatives of international non-governmental organizations.
