Help children grow as human resources

Minister tells workshop

13 July 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Dhaka

Social Welfare Minister Enamul Huq Mostafa Shaheed yesterday stressed the need for comprehensive measures to help the children grow into human resources. “One-fourth of the country's population is children. They need to become responsible citizens. The state has to take all responsibilities to make them grow into human resources,” the minister said while addressing a workshop at Sonargaon Hotel in the city. Ministry of Social Welfare with support of Unicef and Legal Education and Training Institute organised the workshop on the proposed draft law on children. Chaired by Social Welfare Secretary Quomaran Nessa Khanam, the workshop was also addressed by Begum Meher Afroz MP, Mozammel Hossain MP, Chief of Child Protection Section of Unicef Rose-Anne Papavero and Social Welfare Joint Secretary Nasima Begum. Enamul said to make law is easy but to implement and abide by the law difficult. In many cases, the laws are abused and misused, he added. He underscored the need for reconsidering age limit of children putting the question, ''If an 18-year-old boy or girl is really a child.'' Recalling the contribution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to preserving children's rights, the minister said, “When the United Nations and other human rights forums failed to raise voice against violation of children's rights, Bangabandhu had announced Children Act, 1974.” The children are not only future of a nation but also future of the mankind, said Enamul adding that the government has to consider the proposed law in the context of social condition.