UNICEF joins with the Supreme Court to strengthen child protection in Bangladesh

The Unicef has signed a MoU with the Supreme Court Special Committee on Child Rights to strengthen the child protection system in Bangladesh.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 14 Feb 2017, 09:36 PM
Updated : 14 Feb 2017, 09:36 PM

The UN agency said the signing of the memorandum on Tuesday was also aimed at implementing the Children Act 2013 “effectively”.

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was present as chief guest at the ceremony. Chairman of the Supreme Court Special Committee for Child Rights Justice Muhammad Imman Ali and UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Edouard Beigbeder were also present, among others.

The agreement between the Committee and UNICEF includes three key thematic areas: monitoring implementation of the Children Act 2013 – particularly strengthening access to justice for children; developing an information management system and strengthening alternative care facilities, monitoring and follow-up.

The initiative is based on the concluding recommendation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) committee.

“The committee and its initiative will now put together in place strong mechanisms at national level to ensure legal instruments and policies to meet the needs and co-ordinate the process to enforce the Children Act.”

“It will also improve access to services by assessing their best interest and motivate to change duty bearers’ ‘mind-set’ and promote a different way of working for children,” Beigbeder was quoted as saying in a statement.

The initiative will also be undertaken to implement certain activities including setting up of 16 Children Courts in eight divisional districts on a pilot basis.

A database of cases of children in conflict and contact with the law; a digital recording system and other monitoring frameworks will be developed.

The pilot courts, three Kishore Unnayan Kendra (adolescent centres) and six Safe Homes will have video connectivity for conferencing during a trial to expedite cases.

For updates on challenges in implementing the Children Act, regular workshops and information sessions for duty bearers at the national and subnational level will be organised in the presence of the committee for their suggestions.

Unicef says the initiative reinforces justice for children and establishes a monitoring mechanism of services for children in conflict.