Bangladesh having about 6 3 million labouring children, can eliminate child labour following the initiative of garments sector reports UNB.

This was stated by officials while launching Unicef s an nual child report titled The State of the World s Children 199T in Dhaka yesterday

There were some 10.500 child labourers In country's garments sector of whom 8.000 are now attending schools fol lowing s joint initiative of the BGMEA unicef and ILO

They signed s memorandum of understanding (MOU) in July 1995 to identify under-aged children working in the sector, remove them In a phased man ner over a time period, place those In appropriate educs llonal programmes with a

monthly stipend and offer the children's jobs to qualified adult family members

The success of the MOU has already sent a message to all other sectors where children are employed particularly the Informal sector." said Qazi Shamaul Alam, member of Planning Commission and chairman of Joint Government Unicef Advisory Group.

Unicef Representative Rolf C Carriere said the pioneering MOU has succeeded in bringing out a very good number of chil dren from the garments Indus ,r{i 1n<1 p,acln* ,hem ,n This win wtn-win formula has achieved a win for the in dustry. a win for the Image of the country, and above all else.

a win for the children In the garment sector." he added.

Quoting the report launched al) over the world yesterday marking the 50th anniversary of the Unicef. Carriere mentioned five key Initiatives of a comprehensive strategy against hazardous child labour.

These are: Promoting and enhancing education, building on national and international legislation and improving en forcement, empowerment of the poor families and providing them with economic alternatives to child labour (like group credit scheme of Grameen Bank), mobilising society and greater corporating responsibility.