Include domestic work in list of hazardous child labour: campaigners

DOT Desk
Rights activists at a discussion in Dhaka on Monday called on the government to include child domestic work in the list of hazardous activities for children which the government formulated in 2013, reports The New Age.
Following a tripartite coordinating committee recommendation, the government on March 13, 2013 issued a notice identifying 38 processes or activities hazardous for children. Bangladesh Shishu Odhikar Forum in cooperation with Terre des Hommes Netherlands and Global March against Child Labour organised the discussion on ‘situation of child domestic worker and human rights: protection, challenges and way forward.’ Speakers said child labour prevailed across the country for the uncaring of the government and for the lack of awareness and poverty.
Keynote presenter Sharfuddin Khan, a child protection specialist, citing a UNICEF survey in 2007 said that there were 4.2 lakh child domestic workers in the country who work 15 hours a day on an average.
20 per cent of them were between 5 and 10 years of old and did not enjoy human rights and face abuse in workplaces.
Human rights activist Sultana Kamal said the situation was almost same today as no government was sincerer to address the problems.