UNICEF Bangladesh celebrates International Day of the Girl Child
UNICEF Bangladesh organised two panel discussions in a city hotel yesterday marking the International Day of the Girl Child.
The day was celebrated around the world on 11 October with the theme 'Investing for the Rights of the Girl Child: Our Leadership, Our Prosperity'.
Sheldon Yate, representative of UNICEF, delivered opening speech at the opening session of the event organised on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child.
Two panel discussions were attended by a few local girls and heads of the UNICEF's development partners.
British high commissioner in Bangladesh Sarah Cook in her speech in the first panel discussion on participation of girls in leadership emphasis on the women's empowerment and girl child's education.
She said the investment in girl child's education is the best investment. There is no substitute for education to ensure a beautiful society, a country and a beautiful future world.
She said 1.6 billion girls have dropped out of school around the world during coronavirus outbreak.
Care Bangladesh country director Ramesh Singh, Plan International Bangladesh country director Kavita Bose, UNFPA Bangladesh’s Vibhabendra S Raghuvanshi, Save the Children Bangladesh’s interim country director Betsy Zorio and Bangladesh national women's cricket team member Lata Mandal also delivered speeches.
Care Bangladesh country director Ramesh Singh said that Care Bangladesh is working to build a beautiful society and has many success stories. Even though the education rate has increased, the prevalence of child marriage is not decreasing in Bangladesh. We have to work here to eradicate child marriage. And it will possible to make a strong voice by building proper networking.
Plan International Bangladesh’s country director Kavita Bose said the rights of women and girls have not been established at various levels of society yet.
"We still have a lot of work to do to achieve the rights of the girl child," she added.
She raised question as to if women lag behind in basic rights, how can they build a better future.
She opined that this is possible only through full empowerment of women. She also pointed out that the cyber security is also a concern these days.
Plan International is working with the Government of Bangladesh and several other organisations on cyber security, she added.
The day's other panel discussion on `the mental health impact of child marriage’ was addressed by teenage victim of child marriage and a few teenagers who work with it. They shared their experiences.
Taking part in this discussion, Save the Children Bangladesh interim country director Betsy Zorio said child marriage effects women's mental health and creates other problems in the society.