The forgotten promise

United Nations Universal Children’s Day (established in 1954) is celebrated to promote global unity and to improve children’s welfare. It is a day when we recognise that all children are gifts, the most valuable resource, to build a better future. However, when we cut cakes worldwide on this day to celebrate the occasion, how many of us actually look beyond the smiling little faces and into their dark realities? How many of us actually remember the reasons why Universal Children’s Day was established in the first place? How many of us remember the promise that was made to commemorate the special day? Winston Churchill said: “The further back you look, the further forward you can see.” If we look back in history, we see that celebration of this day originates from a council meeting by the Women’s International Democratic Federation, that took place in November 1949. At this meeting, a pledge was taken to protect children, to prevent the recurrence of tragedies like the Lidice massacre -- a massacre when children of Lidice were orphaned, shot, sent to concentration camps, shuffled off to ghastly gas chambers, while their homes razed in fire by the Nazis.The world todayUnfortunately, such tragedies are still not a thing of the past, even in the 21st century. The children of Palestine and Syria still continue to bleed. A bill named “Promoting Human Rights By Ending Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act” revealed that an estimated 10,000 Palestinian children have been detained and tried in military courts since the year 2000. These children are subject to hours of questioning and severe beatings during detentions. Meanwhile, the Rohingya children also continue to suffer in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Having escaped inconceivable atrocities in Myanmar, they are now suffering from life-threatening malnutrition and are at a risk of being trafficked or led into prostitution.Tales of horror“Horrors I will Never Forget” -- a recent report by Save the Children -- is filled with the testimonies of children who have witnessed and experienced things no child should ever have to see. “Without any warning they shot both of my parents in front of my eyes,” was the testimony of a 16-year-old. The report also cites that one-year-old Sahab was ripped from his mother’s arms and thrown into a fire. “We want to be free from fear. We want to live our lives in peace. Please help us, we beg you,”  is what a 15-year-old, wanted to convey to the world.

Let us promise to bring a change in our criminal justice system and ensure that the perpetrators are punished. Can we not expect a more supportive law enforcement system in Bangladesh to safeguard the lives of our children?

Yet we continue to fail them, and the forgotten promise remains forgotten. As recommended by the report, we need to take steps to bring the perpetrators to justice, allow immediate humanitarian access to Northern Rakhine state, and help these children return home when it is safe. Most importantly, we need to help reconstruct these traumatised young lives.Harrowing realitiesOn Universal Children’s Day, let’s also turn our attention to the victims of rape and early marriage in Bangladesh. A report by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) states that a total of 323 cases of child rape occurred over the period of January 2017 to September 2017 alone; of which only 218 cases have been filed. 71 such victims were aged between 7-12, and 45 of the victims were aged six or below. On the other hand, Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) states that assaults on children rose by 225% in 2015 from 2014. Director of BSAF, AS Mahmood, believes that the reason for the rise in child rape in Bangladesh is that justice has not been ensured for most victims. What is even sadder is that investigations only persist as long as there is media attention on the case. So, on this day, let us promise to bring a change in our criminal justice system and ensure that the perpetrators are punished. Can we not expect a more supportive law enforcement system in Bangladesh to safeguard the lives of our children? Can we not rekindle the forgotten promise and rise together to fulfill it?Don’t get her married offThe issue of child marriage, in the country, is another grave concern. According to a Human Rights Watch report, Bangladesh has the forth highest rate of child marriage in the world. Heather Barr, a senior researcher on women’s rights has said: “Child marriage is an epidemic in Bangladesh and only worsens with natural disasters.” The same report also disparaged the Bangladesh government for failing to take an effective action against child marriage. The Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 has come under fire for its provision to allow marriages below the permissible age under “special circumstances.” However, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina defended the provision set therein stating: “A law can never be rigid, there must be an alternative in special cases particularly in case of unexpected pregnancy of any girl under 18.” If we fail to enforce the law against child marriage, we put our children at a serious health risk as a result of early pregnancy. In addition, it is likely for a female child to be barred from continuing education after marriage. Thus, it is of utmost importance that we save children from the clutches of child marriage To recapitulate, Universal Children’s Day should not only be a celebration but a momentous occasion to ensure that every child is loved and protected, and the world is made a better place for them to live in. While promising them a better tomorrow, let us also ensure to eradicate their plight today.Tahsin Noor Salim is a Research Assistant (Law), BILIA. She completed her PGD in Bar Professional Training Course from University of West of England on July, 2016.