A dissemination event was organized in BRAC Centre Inn, Mohakhali, Dhaka, on 6 th March 2024:on developing innovative and context-appropriate ways to increase options for children to avoid engagement in hazardous, exploitative labor in Bangladesh. The event titled, “From Evidence to Action: Collaborating to Combat Child Labor” was organized by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Terre des Hommes Foundation, and Grambangla Unnayan Committee in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies, UK. The event presented the key results and emerging policy recommendations of studies conducted under Child Labor: Action- Research-Innovation in South and South-Eastern Asia (CLARISSA) program.
The CLARISSA program uses Systemic Action Research and other participatory methods with children and other stakeholders in the selected supply chains and urban neighbourhoods to understand the dynamics which drive the worst forms of child labor (WFCL) and to generate participatory innovations which will help address underlying dynamics and mitigate their worst effects.
During the opening ceremony, Dr Imran Matin, Executive Director of BIGD, highlighted that the research had brought to light a number of critical issues. He, along with other speakers, emphasized the need for focused reflection and the development of actionable plans for tackling these challenges in a sustainable manner moving forward.
CLARISSA program overview and key findings were presented by Jiniya Afroze, PhD, CLARISSA Country Coordinator. Three parallel panel discussions were held at the event on informal economy and child labor, adopting child-centered approach to address child labor and social protection.
AKM Maksud, Executive Director of Grambangla Unnayan Committee presented research findings and discussed about the relationship between informal economy and child labor to find innovative ways to increase options for children to avoid engagement in hazardous, exploitative labor in Bangladesh in the first parallel panel discussion moderated by Professor Monirul Islam Khan, Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka. This session was chaired by Mrs. Hazera Khatun, Joint Secretary, Labor Wing, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of Bangladesh, placed great emphasis on Bangladesh's National Plan of Action to eradicate child labor by 2025. She urged everyone to shift their focus towards solutions rather than dwelling on challenges. In her closing remarks, she stressed the importance of rehabilitating the parents of children engaged in the most severe forms of child labor and called for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders.
In the second parallel session titled “Child-centered Approach to Address Child Labor”, Surojit Kundu, Senior Participatory Action Researcher, CLARISSA discussed how children's voice and their agency are critical to enhance the impact and success of programs aimed at improving the overall child labor situation in the country. This session was moderated by Fatema Khyrunnahar, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF and Md. Haider Ali, Joint Secretary and General Manager, Dhaka South City Corporation, was present as a chair, he said that the government remains
steadfast in its commitment to preserving fields and playing spaces while ensuring equal opportunities for all to utilize them. Recognizing poverty as a primary driver of child labor, he urged everyone to heighten their awareness and consciousness regarding this issue.
Keetie Roelen, Co-program investigator of CLARISSA program, presented findings from the trial of an innovative social policy intervention for tackling poverty, improving wellbeing, and addressing the causes of the worst forms of child labor (WFCL) in the third parallel session titled ‘Social Protection’. This session was moderated by Maheen Sultan, Senior Fellow of Practice, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development. Chair of this session Dr Abu Saleh Mustafa Kamal, Director General, Department of Social Services, Government of Bangladesh talked about government’s strong initiative to enhance social security for the peripheral community and their children in Bangladesh. He also praised the SP cash+ intervention of the project.
Mr. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Senior Advisor, BIGD and former Cabinet Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh, chaired the closing session and gave his insight into collaborating of the different stakeholders from the government to implement National Plan of Action to eradicate child labour by 2025. He also urged the development practitioners to hold on to their passion to eradicate child labour from the country.
In closing Mr. Peter Tylor, Director of Research, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, said, “This project played an important role by listening to the voice of the children whose voice are not always heard.” He said that contextual knowledge from the children in labour will be very important in future to continue the journey of abolishing child labour.
Chief guest, Mr. H.M. Ibrahim, MP, Head, Parliamentary Standing Committee, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of Bangladesh said that the government will look into the recommendations from this project. And said government is determined to ensure education for all the children. He also emphasized on the NPA to eradicate child labour by 2025.
Special guest, Mr. K.M. Abdus Salam, Senior Secretary, Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat concluded by putting emphasis on the integrated approach to end child labour in Bangladesh by 2025. He gave importance on the coordination of different state and non-state stakeholders.
Speakers at the event discussed to improve understanding of the factors that drive the worst form of child labor and to develop innovative interventions to counteract them. Recommendations to reduce child labor, poor labor standards and lack of occupational safety, implementation of the National Plan of Action to Eliminate Child Labor (2021-2025) also came up in the discussion.