ActionAid Bangladesh organized a vibrant and thought-provoking event at the Bangladesh Shishu Academy on Tuesday to celebrate Child Rights Week 2025, calling for stronger national commitments to protect and empower children across the country.
The program brought together more than 200 children, government officials, rights activists, educators, and international representatives under one roof to amplify the voices of Bangladesh’s future generation.
This year’s theme, “Empowering Children, Ending Child Marriage, Ensuring a Safe Digital World” set the tone for a day filled with meaningful discussions, performances, and policy dialogues centered on children’s rights and safety in an increasingly digitalized society.
During the event, children from various regions of Bangladesh presented a six-point manifesto, outlining their core demands
- Quality education for every child.
- Strict laws to end child marriage, child labour, and violence.
- Better health, nutrition, and mental well-being for children.
- Ensuring children’s voices are heard and their participation valued.
- Online safety and digital protection for all children.
- Climate justice and a safe, healthy environment for every child.
The manifesto served as a direct appeal to those in power to take children’s voices seriously in national policy decisions.
The main objective of the celebration was to raise awareness and urge immediate, effective measures from the government, political leaders, and policymakers to safeguard children’s rights and well-being.
One of the most engaging segments of the program was a panel discussion on “Empowering Children, Ending Child Marriage, and Ensuring Safe Childhood in the Digital World.”
The session was moderated by Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, and featured participation from high-level government officials, rights experts, educators, and representatives from national and international organizations.
In her remarks, Farah Kabir emphasized the importance of including children’s perspectives in policymaking.
“Policies made for children must reflect their voices and experiences. Including them in policy discussions is not just their right, it's essential for effective and fair policymaking. Especially in today’s digital world, we must unite to ensure both their safety and opportunities,” she said.
Speakers at the discussion underscored that protecting children’s rights is a shared duty of the state, families, institutions, and society at large. They highlighted the need for strict monitoring and law enforcement to end child marriage, curb online abuse, and guarantee equal opportunities for all children, regardless of their background.
Adding to the significance of the day, the event hosted a symbolic Children’s Parliament, where children from marginalized and rural communities voiced their experiences and policy suggestions directly to government officials and development partners. Many of them shared stories of early marriage, school dropout, and online harassment, urging authorities to ensure real change, not just promises.
The celebration also included colorful cultural performances, songs, plays, and dances, all themed around child protection, equality, and empowerment. Around 80 child journalists from across the country joined the event virtually, reporting on the discussions and sharing their perspectives on child rights issues in their respective communities.
In their speeches, guests expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that children must be seen as “partners in progress,” not passive beneficiaries. They called for stronger collaboration between ministries, NGOs, and the private sector to build a child-friendly Bangladesh where every child can grow up free from violence, exploitation, and discrimination.
The program concluded with a collective call to action for government bodies, civil society, and local communities to work hand in hand to ensure an inclusive, safe, and empowered future for every child in Bangladesh — where every voice matters, and every dream is protected.
