Untitled - Terre des Hommes

themselves 57 . Policy changes at the government level regarding education, the creation of practical
alternatives for working children and the completion of a list of hazardous sectors including
agriculture and domestic work are necessary 58 . It is still culturally acceptable for children to work in
agriculture and domestic labour, adding these to a list of hazardous processes would help to shift
thinking on these issues. Initiatives should address the root causes of child labour, such as poverty,
lack of awareness of long term negative impact of child labour, relevance and perceived value of
education, and focus on causes other than poverty (e.g. some families in slums send their children to
work due to lack of security in the slums) 59 . Educational reform to make school more interesting and
relevant for children is needed, as are more livelihood opportunities and poverty reduction schemes
for parents in rural areas. Community level interventions that address the needs of the community
rather than political agendas should be given priority 60 . A combination of advocacy as well as direct
support is necessary to ensure the sustainability of initiatives and their impacts 61 .
It is important to focus educational campaigns regarding children's rights on families, to prevent so
many children from leaving home at a young age. With regards to protection of children on the
streets, there is a need for more full service facilities so children don't have to work to sustain
themselves. Policy changes at the government level regarding education, the creation of practical
alternatives for working children and the completion of a list of hazardous sectors including
agriculture and domestic work are necessary. It is still culturally acceptable for children to work in
agriculture and domestic labour, adding these to a list of hazardous processes would help to shift
thinking on these issues. Initiatives should address the root causes of child labour, such as poverty,
lack of awareness of long term negative impact of child labour, relevance and perceived value of
education, and focus on causes other than poverty (e.g. some families in slums send their children to
work due to lack of security in the slums.) Educational reform to make school more interesting and
relevant for children is needed, as are more livelihood opportunities and poverty reduction schemes
for parents in rural areas. Community level interventions that address the needs of the community
rather than political agendas should be given priority. A combination of advocacy as well as direct
support is necessary to ensure the sustainability of initiatives and their impacts.
6. Bibliography
Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum. Child labour in Bangladesh As retrieved from
http://bmsf-bd.org/Child_Labour_in_Bangladesh.pdf
Blanchet, T., Biswas, H., Dabu, M.H., 2006. Slaves for a season. Bonded child labour in the dry fish industry.
Save the Children, Sweden-Denmark. ISBN 984-32-3615-7
Committe on the Rights of the Child. 2003. Concluding Observations to Bangladesh.
ECPAT/INCIDIN, 2006. The boys and the bullies, a situational analysis report on prostitution of boys in
Bangladesh. As retrieved from:
http://www.humantrafficking.org/uploads/publications/Bangladesh_Part1.pdf on 09-03-2010
INCIDIN Bangladesh (for UNICEF) (2008). Rapid Assessment: Commercial Sexual Exploitation of
Children and Adolescents in Bangladesh.
57
Mr. Hassan (SEEP)
58
Mr. Sharfuddin Khan (ILO)
59
Mr. Sharfuddin Khan (ILO)
60
Mr. Shamsul Alam (Save the Children Sweden-Denmark)
61
Mr. Shamsul Alam (Save the Children Sweden-Denmark)
32