Background
o CRC Adopted by UN General Assembly 20 November 1989
o Came into force 02 September 1990

World Summit for Children (WSC) 29-30 September 1990, NY
o 159 Countries Participated
o 71 Heads of States
o Commitment and Universal Appeal
To give every child a better future

Declaration on
o Child Survival
o Child Development
o Child Protection

Plan of Action: 7 Major Goals for CSDP to achieve by 2000
CRC is one of the Specific Actions

Ratification of CRC
o So far 180 Countries Ratified
o Bangladesh is one of the 22 countries to Ratify CRC

Reservations on

Article 14 paragraph 1
(freedom of thought, conscience and Religion)

Article 21
(Adoption)

CRC – Articles
CRC contains 54 Articles

Articles 01 to 41
o Survival
o Development
o Protection

Articles 42 to 54
Follow-up
&
Monitoring

CRC – Articles

Article – 1
Definition of the Child
upto 18 years
(Upto 14 years according to Bangladesh National Children Policy)

Article – 2
o Non-Discrimination
o Race/Nationality/ Color/Language/Sex

Article – 3
o Best Interest of the Child in any Action by
o Public/Private SW institutions/courts of Law
o Admin/Legislative Bodies
o Parents/Legal guardians

Article – 4
o Economic, Social & Cultural Rights

Articles – 5/18
o Parental guidance (5)
o Both Parents have Common Responsibilities for upbringing the child (18)

Article – 6
o Inherent Right to life
o Ensure maximum extent possible Survival & Development

Articles – 7/8
o Right to Name & Nationality (7)
o Preservation of identity (8)

Articles - 9/10/11
o Separation from parents (9)
o Illicit Transfer & non-return of children from abroad (11)
o Family Reunification (10)

Articles-12/13/14/15
o Respect for the views of the child (12)
o Freedom of Expression (13)
o Freedom of Thought, Conscience & Religion (14)
o Freedom of Association & Peaceful Assembly (15)

Article-16
o Protection of Privacy
o Protection against unlawful interference

Article - 17
o Role of Mass media to ensure child’s access to Information aimed at Social/spiritual/moral well-being & physical/mental health

Articles-19/34/35/36
o Protection from
o Abuse & Neglect/injury (19)
o Sexual Exploitation & Sexual Abuse (34)
o Sale, Trafficking & Abduction (35)
o All Other forms of Exploitation (36) e.g. Violence (physical and mental)

Article - 20
o Children Deprived of Family Environment
o Alternate care

Article - 21
o Adoption

Article - 22
o Refugee Children

Article - 23
Children with disabilities (mental & physical)
o No discrimination
o Identification and Prevention
o Shall enjoy a full & Decent Life
o Ensure Dignity, Promote Self-reliance
o Facilitate Active Participation in the Community

Article - 24
Highest Standard of Health & Health facilities for treatment of illness & rehabilitation
o Preventive Health care/reduce infant & child mortality
o Pre and post-natal care
o Child & maternal Nutrition
o Guidance for Parents and Family Education/ Services
o Safe water
o Protection from Environmental Pollution
o Basic knowledge about child health & nutrition

Article - 25
o Periodic Review of placement
o Similar facilities for the child placed outside the family

Article - 26
o Social security and child care services

Article - 27
o Standard of living
o Rights to physical/ mental/moral/social development

Articles – 28/29
Rights to Education & Vocational Guidance (28)
Aims of Education (29)

Article - 30
Children Belonging to a minority/ethnic/indigenous group Shall not be denied all the rights
Rights to practice own culture/religion/language

Article – 31
Leisure, Recreation & Cultural Activities
Participate freely in Cultural Life

Article - 32
o Protection from Economic Exploitation of Children including Child Labour Interferes with Education/ Hazardous Child Labour affects Physical & Mental Health

Article - 33
Protection from
o Drug Abuse
o Production
o Trafficking

Article - 37
The Right not be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment/life imprisonment/detention
o Children shall be treated with humanity/respect/dignity
o Shall have right to access legal assistance

Articles – 38/39
o Children in armed conflicts (38)
o Physical and Psychological Recovery & Social Re-integration of the Child (39)

Article - 40
o Administration of Juvenile Justice
o Child recognized as having infringed the penal law to be treated in a manner, consistent with the promotion of child’s sense of dignity and worth.

Article - 41
CRC shall not affect any provisions which are more conducive to the realization of the Rights of the Child & which may be contained in

(a) The law of a state party
(b) International law in force for that state

Rights of the Child

Survival
o Health & healthy Environment
o Food & Nutrition
o Shelter
o Water & Sanitation

Development
o Education (Formal & Non-Formal)
o Skills (Technical & Vocational)
o Leisure & Recreation
o Empowerment
o Mental Development
o Cognitive & Emotional
o Growth, Motor Skills & Coordination (control over body)
o Ability to interact successfully in Social Relationship
o Ability to interact successfully with physical environment

Protection
o Expression
o Protection from Violence, Exploitation Abuse (Abduction, Sale, Trafficking) &
o Identity & Equity
o Family Environment & Parental guidance

Articles – 42 to 54
Follow-up and monitoring
o Preliminary Report within first two years
o Every Five Years thereafter
o Report to the CRC Committee Consists of 10 Experts elected from amongst reputed nationals nominated by the State Parties

GOB Follow-up of CRC
o National Children Policy 1994
o National Children Council
o SAMATA-Decade Plan of Action for the Girl Child
o National Plan of Action for Children 1997 – 2002
o Child Development Macro Chapter in Fifth FYP
o Institutionalization of the Observation of CRC Week September Every Year
o Declaration of the Decade of the Rights of the Child from 2001 to 2010
o Increased National Budget Allocation in Social Sector
o SSA increased from 13.8% (1990) to 25.5% (1996)
o Higher Budgetary Allocation for Education & Health of Children Since 1995
o Regular Communication Campaigns
o Training on CRC at

National & Sub-national levels
o Including - Social sector Officials
o Police Officers - Local Govt. Officials
o & Judges - NGOs Officials

Bangladesh CRC Monitoring
International Reporting
o Initial Report on Implementation of CRC
o Submitted: Nov. 1995
o Supplementary Report
o Submitted: Dec. 1996
o First Periodic Report covering Jan 1997 to Dec 2000
o Submitted: Dec 2000
o Alternative Reports (by NGOs e.g. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum)

National Instruments
o National Children Council
o MOWCA Parliamentary Standing Committee
o Multiple Cluster survey, MICS by BBS & UNICEF Progatir Pathey published every year: Monitoring mechanism to systematic collection of data on Sit of Children in Bangladesh, Established since 1993 to monitor progress on CRC

Sub-national actions
o Directives by the Cabinet Division, 1998 to include CRC issues as part of the regular business of the District Development Coordination Committee

Community/Family levels
o Awareness Raising
o Social Mobilization
o NGO activity
o Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum’s Role network of 263 NGOs involved in CRC activities

Actions

What to Address
o Situation Analysis
o Cause Analysis
o Immediate
o Underlying
o Basic
o Structural

How to Address
o Strategies
o Interventions

When to Address
o Time - Frame

Who will Address
o Family
o Community
o Service Providers
o Policy Makers

Obligations of Duty Bearers towards Children of All Age Groups

Family
o Physical needs
o Love & affection
o Mental/emotional /support
o Equal care for boys and girls
o Safe, secure environment
o Learning about child care & development
o Sending children to school
o Time for recreation
o Appropriate work & responsibilities
o Listening to children
o Involving children in decision making
o Protection from hazardous & exploitative work

Community
o Healthy, safe, secure environment
o Recreation facilities
o Mobilization of resources
o Support to mothers/parents/ families/ service providers
o Child friendly community
o Promote traditional games/ toys
o Listening to children
o Participation in school affairs
o Involve children in decision making
o Information sharing
o Support for vulnerable groups

Service Providers
o Awareness/ knowledge of child development & skills
o Community involvement
o Quality services (from young child care through adolescent programs)
o Child centred/ child friendly services
o Mass media involvement for awareness & good practice
o Life skills
o Out-of-school activities
o Children’s participation/ involvement
o Services to meet specific needs

Policy Makers
o Relevant age group specific policies enactment and/or enforcement (e.g. on ECCD, child labour, compulsory education)
o Allocation of resources
o Communication – mass media
o Policies for safe environment
o Imparting a vision of child development
o Intersectoral linkages

Source: Situation Assessment and Analysis of Children and Women in Bangladesh, page – 187, GOB/UNICEF