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Policy for 3,500 Sidr-hit children by March

They will get govt assistance

Staff Correspondent
Children left orphaned by Cyclone Sidr will receive government assistance and the government will formulate a policy in this regard in the first week of March, Rasheda K Choudhury, primary and mass education adviser, said yesterday.
"A policy is yet to be adopted to assist the Sidr-affected children. We will formulate a policy very soon. We will hold a meeting on March 6 in Barisal for this purpose," said Adviser Rasheda while addressing a views exchange meet-
ing on "United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC): Alternative Report".
Manusher Jonno Foundation, a non-government organisation working for human rights and good governance, organised the meeting at Agargaon in the capital and presented the alternative report. Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, moderated the discussion.
The speakers told the meeting that an estimated 3,500 children
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had lost their parents during the cyclone and around 1,500 of them cannot be traced now. The government has yet to allocate any funds to safeguard these orphans, they added.
The alternative report prepared by Manusher Jonno Foundation is aimed at providing information on existing gaps in national policies and practices while suggesting precise recommendations to improve relations between the state and civil society for a more holistic approach to the state of the children in the country.
Speaking as chief guest, Rasheda urged all to build a child* friendly environment, protect children's rights and end all types of child abuse in the society.
"Bangladesh signed the UNCRC in 1990 and strived to follow the guidelines of the convention and the recommenda--tions-of the UNCRC commit! eefor establishing a child-friendlyenvironment." she said adding that mass awareness regarding -children's rights is needed as most people are still not aware of the convention.
The adviser also said the primary and mass education ministry last week formulated a policy to ensure supply of textbooks to ail children in primary schools.
Human rights activist Dr Hamida Hossain said a set of priority-based recommendations should be prepared in the CRC alternative reports.
"Children from the minority and ethnic groups, street children and the dalits are being deprived of education and our efforts are not enough. We should introduce a uniform education system that would ensure education for all children," she added.
Shaheen Anam said childfriendly environment has to be ensured in all spheres of social life and all forms of child abuse should be eradicated.
"We have a children act, but it isn't enforced. We will have to implement the children act. Besides, a plan is needed to share information and experience between the government and the NGOs," she also said.
Representatives of different NGOs including Save the Children and Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) also attended the meeting.