Adolescents demand family attention, removing taboo on girls' health issues

Elderly members of the family need to hear the children for inspiring their healthy growth and hepling them to attain leadership skills, said a group of teenagers.

They told a Prothom Alo roundtable on Sunday that adoloscent girls do not have preparations to face the challenges of physical and mental changes during the adulthood.

"We feel our families need to talk to us and let us to speak frankly to them. Health taboos such as the one on menstruation should be removed," said Kulsum Akter, a girl from Karail slum in the city.

Rhidita Haque, a student of BPATC School and College, pointed out that apart from facing health challenges, young girls are still harrassed by stalking here and there. "But the girls are often blamed for such social ills," she regretted.

Also another girl and two boys shared their experience at the roundtable styled "Triumphant songs of the juveniles" organised by Prothom Alo, in association with Unicef, at the daily’s Kawran Bazar office.

Stakeholders at the discussion observed that although one-fourth of the country's population is adolescent, their wellbeing is not taken seriously.

Social problems such as child marriage, child labour and sexual harassment of the children are still common and should be prevented to ensure a better Bangladesh, they said.

ABM Ruhul Azad, additional secretary of youth and sports ministry, emphasised strengthening family values to improve the life of the adolescents.

“Around one third of the total population of the country is 18-35 years of age. We must use the power of the youth to reap the demographic dividend,” he insisted.

The official, however, acknowledged that the government alone cannot ensure secure future of the youth unless families, communities and non-governmental sectors play their due role.

Abul Hossain, project director of multi-sectoral programme on violence against women under the ministry, mentioned that the government has identified 38 hazardous works for the children but they are still working in those risky sectors.

Unicef’s deputy representative Sheema Sen Gupta put emphasis on checking child marriage to ensure a better future of the country itself.

Teacher of Dhaka university’s Women and Gender Studies Ayesha Banu recommended formation of separate ministry for women and children in view of importance of their issues.

For improving the life of adolescents in Bangladesh, Unicef’s Neha Kapil said community leaders such as Imams shoudl be engaged in the process.

Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) executive director Sheepa Hafiza, Grameenphone’s chief corporate affairs officer Mahmud Hossain, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad’s senior lawyer Dipti Rani Shikder and Dnet’s Sirajul Hossain also addressed the discussion moderated by Prothom Alo associate editor Abdul Qayyum.