Meeting of Divisional Child Labor Welfare Council held in Rajshahi
The 20th meeting of the Rajshahi Divisional Child Labor Welfare Council was held today in the conference room of the Divisional Commissioner’s Office. Additional Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chitralekha Nazneen presided over the meeting. Members of the Divisional Child Labor Welfare Council presented the activities of their respective departments aimed at ending child labor and promoting child welfare.
The speakers emphasized the importance of identifying children engaged in child labor and ensuring their appropriate and sustainable rehabilitation to free them from child labor. During the meeting, the Bogura office of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments reported that, against this year’s target of eliminating child labor for 80 children, 60 children have been freed from child labor by the department. Meanwhile, the Pabna office of the same department reported that, against a target of 70, it has freed 60 children from child labor.
On behalf of the department, the need for a child labor database and various forms of financial assistance, including stipends for children freed from child labor, was also mentioned. The Department of Women Affairs stated that children aged 1 to 16 years can be admitted to the Child Development Centers under their jurisdiction. At these centers, children are provided with food, accommodation, education, and recreational facilities at government expense.
The Department of Social Services reported that orphaned and underprivileged children aged 6 to 9 years are admitted to government Child Homes, where they can stay until the age of 18. Additionally, for the rehabilitation of children over 9 years of age, there are various rehabilitation centers under the Department of Social Services. In her address as chair, Chitralekha Nazneen said that updated records must be maintained for children who have been rescued from child labor, and they must be monitored and directed toward educational institutions.
She also instructed the relevant institutions to provide admission advertisements outlining the facilities of technical education institutions to the members of the Child Labor Welfare Council for wider publicity.
