Third and Fourth Periodic Report on CRC - Unicef

<strong>Third</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>Periodic</strong> <strong>Report</strong>
In 2004, a National Children's Conference was organized jointly by the MoWCA, Save the Children Alliance <strong>and</strong>
UNICEF. A total of 1,000 children participated in the conference to discuss the rights of the children, the NPA-
SEACT <strong>and</strong> the Concluding Observations made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in September
2003. A Children's Poll was conducted in 2005 to collect their opinion on various issues that affect their lives.
About 4,500 boys <strong>and</strong> girls between 9 <strong>and</strong> 18 years were interviewed. Two Children Consultations were
successfully organized in course of preparation of this <strong>Report</strong>.
Information, Education <strong>and</strong> Communication (IEC) materials are being regularly produced by the State party,
UNICEF <strong>and</strong> NGOs, <strong>and</strong> are disseminated through media <strong>and</strong> other means of communication across the
country. However, the State Party is considering strengthening the efforts.
3.2 Non-discrimination
Gender equality <strong>and</strong> disparity reduction is one of the overarching strategies of the NPA (2005-2010). The
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), which routinely collects information on the situation of children in the
areas of health <strong>and</strong> education <strong>and</strong> child protection, is designed to identify disparities through the disaggregation
of data on various bases.
MICS 2006 shows that a large proportion of girls are married at an early age. Nationally, about 33 percent of
girls aged below 15 years <strong>and</strong> 74 percent below 18 years are married. In rural areas, the rate was 78.4 percent
<strong>and</strong> in urban areas 65.4 percent. There is regional difference in age of marriage. Among the tribal population,
the rate of child marriage is somewhat low (44 percent). There is a negative co-relation between child marriage
<strong>and</strong> educational level <strong>and</strong> child marriage <strong>and</strong> economic status.
One of the 'World Fit for Children' goals is to protect children against abuse, exploitation, <strong>and</strong> violence, including
the elimination of discrimination against children with disabilities. Nationally, 17.5 percent of the 2-9 year old
children had one or more reported disabilities. There are regional variations, ranging from around 58 to 81
percent, with no urban-rural difference in disability. The disability is negatively co-related to age. Several districts
have comparatively higher rate of disability. Further research is needed to find out why some districts have such
a high rate of disability.
During the 1990s <strong>and</strong> till date, Bangladesh recorded remarkable achievement in primary education. Girls'
enrolment increased by over 30 percent during the reporting period. Girls' net enrolment in 2005 was 90.10
percent (compared to 84 percent for boys), as against around 80 percent in 2000 (MOPME). National net <strong>and</strong>
gross enrolment rate remained 87.20 percent <strong>and</strong> 97.5 percent respectively in 2005. There still remains scope
for improvement of quality of education through decreasing absenteeism, repetition <strong>and</strong> drop out rate.
The situation is worst in urban slum areas. Of primary age girls in urban slums 26 percent have never enrolled
in school <strong>and</strong> the net enrolment rate is only 61 percent which is 23 percent lower than the national average. Of
boys in the urban slums, 32 percent have never enrolled <strong>and</strong> the net enrolment rate is 58 percent.
Secondary education has its own problems despite improvement of enrolment rates of girls in the last decade.
Still, about a third of girls aged 11-15 are out of school, <strong>and</strong> nearly half of girls who were enrolled in secondary
dropped out before completing Class 10. Only 8 percent of the age cohort of girls (compared to 15 percent of
the boys) successfully completes the higher secondary education cycle (Class 12). Most of the other 92 percent
of the age cohort are already married by this time.
The Government has taken several initiatives to address some of the problems. In July 2002 the Government
launched the Primary Education Stipend Programme. Under the Programme poor families in rural areas are
given a monthly stipend. The poorest 40 percent students in a school may be selected to receive stipends
32