Third and Fourth Periodic Report on CRC - Unicef

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<strong>Third</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>Periodic</strong> <strong>Report</strong> Ab<strong>and</strong>oned <strong>and</strong> destitute children: Destitute children having no home or family are particularly susceptible to violence <strong>and</strong> exploitation. Often ab<strong>and</strong>oned at birth, these children have little option but to live off the streets where they are compelled to live <strong>and</strong> work in exploitative conditions. Children born out of wedlock or born to rape victims are more likely to suffer ab<strong>and</strong>onment than others. While social <strong>and</strong> religious taboos compel young unmarried mothers to discard their children, deteriorating economic conditions are increasingly forcing families to ab<strong>and</strong>on their children. Due to divorce or subsequent marriage of their parents or polygamy, children are also ab<strong>and</strong>oned. Children who lose their parents through death or desertion experience a similar plight. Having no option these children adopt sordid lifestyles <strong>and</strong> resort to different anti-social activities. These children live on the streets, railway <strong>and</strong> bus stations, shopping centres, parks <strong>and</strong> other places. Abuse <strong>and</strong> exploitation by adults is an everyday feature for these children. Orphaned children: An orphan is defined by the Orphanages <strong>and</strong> Widows Home Act, 1944 as a boy or girl under 18 years of age who lost his/her father or has been ab<strong>and</strong>oned by his/her parents or guardians. Accordingly, all the children admitted into orphanages may not be totally parentless in the strict sense of the term. There is no reliable statistics on orphans <strong>and</strong> orphanages. The registered orphanages provide services to about 50,000 orphans <strong>and</strong> ab<strong>and</strong>oned children. This is indeed a very small proportion compared to the estimated number of orphans. Devoid of parental support <strong>and</strong> care orphans are vulnerable to hazardous child labour, HIV, trafficking, physical <strong>and</strong> sexual exploitation. In case of orphaned girls, the risks of early marriage, abortion, sexual exploitation <strong>and</strong> other forms of violence are high. Child victims of natural calamities: Bangladesh has long been associated with extreme vulnerability to natural disaster. Natural disasters have their roots in the nature of its terrain, the physical geographic features, its long coastline <strong>and</strong> the tropical climate. Flood is a regular phenomenon in the country with severe flooding occurring every five to ten years. Disaster causes loss of assets, physical infrastructure, lives of human being <strong>and</strong> animals, among others. Women <strong>and</strong> children are worst sufferers of disasters. Acute poverty, recurrent natural calamities (such as river erosion, flood <strong>and</strong> cyclone) <strong>and</strong> other crisis situations often lead to displacement of child populations in huge numbers. Many of them ultimately find themselves catapulted from the relatively serene rural surroundings to the more complex urban scenario where they are forced to live <strong>and</strong> work in adverse conditions. However, due to significant investment in disaster preparedness including the development of early warning system <strong>and</strong> creation of wide network of flood <strong>and</strong> cyclone shelters, there has been a significant decrease in the loss of lives <strong>and</strong> property lost each year. However, natural disasters are still responsible for significant property losses with grave consequences for the poor. Areas prone to natural disasters are found to have higher incidence of poverty. In 2004, Bangladesh experienced a most devastating flood since 1998, though in terms of death 1988 flood was most damaging. Out of 64 districts of the country, 42 districts were affected by flood (Table-5.1). About one-fourth of the population of the country were affected. Table 5.1: Comparison of flood damage Indicators 1988 1998 2004 Inundated area (%) 61 68 40-60 Flood duration (days) 23 72 21 Persons affected (million) 45 31 30 Total deaths (Persons) 2,335 918 876 Source: UN CCA, 2005 48
Convention on the Rights of the Child The Ministry of Food <strong>and</strong> Disaster Management has undertaken a set of measures to manage the disasters in an effective manner. Most important ones are adopting a Disaster Management Policy, a five-year Strategic Plan for the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme, CDMP (2004-2008), supported by development partners like UNDP, EC <strong>and</strong> DFID. In addition to Government, NGOs/CBOs <strong>and</strong> communities also actively participate in disaster preparedness, management <strong>and</strong> post-disaster (rehabilitation) activities. Children with disabilities: No comprehensive survey on disability has so far been conducted in Bangladesh. Findings of different partial surveys or supplementary information of other surveys indicate a range of 10-18 percent Persons with Disability (PWDs) in Bangladesh Children with disabilities are subjected to various discriminatory practices from the moment of their birth. Considered a social <strong>and</strong> economic encumbrance, children with disabilities experience prejudicial treatment in terms of family entitlements, learning opportunities, health services <strong>and</strong> equal opportunities to develop individual capacities. Girls are generally the worst suffers. Government has undertaken various measures to address the problems of persons/children with disabilities, in some cases in collaboration with NGOs/CBOs <strong>and</strong> development partners. 5.8 Adoption In Bangladesh no civil law regarding adoption exists. Majority population of Bangladesh are Muslim <strong>and</strong> most of their family affairs are guided by Muslim personal law. The Muslim Law in general does not allow adoption, but Hindu Law as well as Christian <strong>and</strong> Buddhist traditions do. However, in particular Hindu law contains many restrictions that are not compatible with the CRC. Persons, who cannot adopt, may take a child under his or her guardianship as per the Guardians <strong>and</strong> Wards Act, 1890. Only a citizen of Bangladesh can be declared a guardian of a Bangladeshi "minor". The fact that adoption is not permitted under Islamic law does not exclude the possibility of a child being fostered by a Muslim family. While Islam does not recognize adoption, it does allow an individual to take charge of a child <strong>and</strong> provide for his or her maintenance (Kafala). The child fostered enjoys no inheritance right. Alternative care is provided by the Government in the following facilities, which are run by the Ministry of Social Welfare: 85 orphanages (capacity 10,300 children) 6 Baby Homes, one each in Divisional HQs (capacity 550 children) for ab<strong>and</strong>oned children aged 1 to 5 years (3 developed with capacity of 300 in 2003). 3 Kishore Unnayan Kendra, KUK (Adolescent Development Centres) with the total capacity of 500 (one developed with 150-capacity in 2002). 6 Destitute <strong>and</strong> Vagrant Centre (1,900 children capacity) 3 Shishu Paribar (child family) in 3 hill districts (one developed during the <strong>Report</strong>ing period) 6 Safe Homes with 400 capacity (all developed in 2003 to 2006) 2 homes (capacity 500 children) for the training <strong>and</strong> rehabilitation of destitute children (further home planned which will accommodate an additional 500 children). Efforts are being made to transform orphanages into a more family-like environment following the model established by the NGO-run SOS Children's Villages. Twenty-six orphanages have initially been selected under this initiative. Under the Budget of Fiscal 2007/08, the provision of subsistence allowance of children of 49
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Third and Fourth Periodic Report on CRC - Unicef

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