Press Release: Speakers at a workshop called for ending both physical and mental torture of children for ensuring a child friendly atmosphere.

All UN Member States, through Sustainable Development Goals (SDG goal 16), pledged to ensure an atmosphere free of all kinds of physical and mental torture of children by 2030, they said, adding that it is a global pledge to children.

Addressing an advocacy workshop on banning physical and humiliating punishment, they said physical and mental torture severely hinders the mental growth of children. Bangladesh is gradually progressing in social and economic sectors. We should equally give our attention to the issue of child protection at this time of progress.

National Action and Coordinating Group (NACG) in Bangladesh and INCIDIN Bangladesh jointly organized the event at Mohammadpur’s YWCA at Iqbal Road in the capital today (Monday).

Citing the Multiple Cluster Report (2020-2021), they said 88.8% children in our educational institutions are victims of physical and mental torture, which is the clear violation of child rights and it hampered the physical and mental growth of children.      

The High Court in 2011 gave a directive for banning such torture. The Education Ministry and Primary and Mass Education Ministry in separate notification in 2010 asked the educational institutions to halt that torture. But the situation has not improved despite the initiatives, they observed.

They called for properly implementing the directive and the notification.

Besides, they stressed on including the issues relating to mental and physical torture into Children Act 2013, activating Students’ Council and Students’ Cabinet at educational institutions, establishing One Stop Service for children for ending those torture, and hanging notice boards at educational institutions for stopping those torture and proper monitoring of the situation.

Wahida Banu, Executive Director of Aparajeyo Bangladesh, attended as special guest, while A.K.M Masud Ali, Executive Director of INCIDIN Bangladesh and Chair of NACG in Bangladesh, moderated it.

Matin Iffad, Court Officer, Labor Legal Aid Cell;  Nuara Shafiq Disha, Coordinator, Child Rights Unit, Ain o Salish Kendra; Dr. Rahena Begum, Senior Counselor, Dhaka Ahsania Mission; Mushfiqur Rahman, Advocacy Focal, INCIDIN Bangladesh; Mabia Khatun, Project officer of Nari Maitree; Mahboob Mirza, Project Coordinator, INCIDIN Bangladesh; also spoke.