World Children's Day at a glance
On 20 November 1989, world leaders adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is the most extensive global commitment in the world's history. In the light of this convention for children's rights, the United Nation observes World Children's Day every year. On this day, UNICEF mobilises awareness on major problems faced by children, advocates child rights and builds up necessary funds for the purpose.
UNICEF is commemorating this World Children's Day on its 75th founding anniversary. Children will be vocal about matters that affect their lives and attention will be drawn for institutional support to children's rights. After all, even today not all children can enjoy their full childhood. For many, childhood is just momentary.
Children's education, nutrition and overall well-being have been irreparably harmed by the impact of Covid-19. As schools had shut down early in 2020 due towards the outbreak of the pandemic, the education of 37 million children in Bangladesh and around 800 million children in the Asian continent was disrupted.
Steadily escalating poverty, discrimination, violence, climate crisis and a health emergency like Covid-19, have created a crisis of continued malnutrition among those youngest in age around the world. In Bangladesh, only one is every three infants of 6 to 23 months receives minimum recommended nutrition. In 2013, a total of 1.7 million children in Bangladesh were engaged in child labour. Globally the number of child workers reached 160 million, with 8.4 million joining over the past four years. And due to Covid-19, over 100,000 more children are at risk.
Despite significant progress, the rate of child marriage in Bangladesh is still alarming. Around 51 per cent of the women presently 20 to 24 years old, were married off when they were children. Towards the end of this decade, there globally may be 10 million additional child marriages which will be a threat to preventing this trend.
Children look forward to the government, business institutions and leaders in the society to immediately fulfill their commitments regarding children's rights. The grown-ups must ensure all children fully enjoy their rights.