Experts, activists and the people who are working for promoting and protecting the rights of the children have suggested introducing a more specific and targeted child budget, reports BSS.
The suggestion came on the eve of the National Children Day, to be observed today, marking the birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
To protect the rights of the children in a better way, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in the national budget for 2015-16 financial year (FY16) included a report titled "Shishuder Niye Budget Vabna" (Budget thoughts for Children).
The report has been prepared by taking into account the budgetary allocations of five ministries those are directly related to socioeconomic development of children, the finance minister told the Jatiya Sangsad while presenting the budget document last June. "A complete budget with specific and effective implementation plan is required for the wellbeing of the children", said Shabira Sultana Nupur, National Advocacy Coordinator (Child Protection and Education) for the World Vision Bangladesh (WVB). Nupur said there was no specific sector-wise allocation in the child budget, which was presented last year involving five ministries. Besides, she said it was also unclear whether the ministries had their own implementation plan to this effect. She said the child budget also lacked allocation for addressing the child labour issue. Nupur expects that the next child budget would include the labour ministry and the child labour issue and should have specific programmes, allocation and policy directions to uphold the child rights. Deputy Secretary Md Zafar Sarkar, who is responsible for budgeting of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, said the next child budget would be more targeted as the finance ministry had been working on a project to prepare a complete child budget and ensure implementation of it.
Terming the present child budget a good start, deputy director for civil society and governance of Save the Children Sahmsul Alam said the finance ministry had taken a project to prepare a operational guideline for introducing a complete budget for the children.
Referring to the project titled "Strengthening Capacity for Child Focused Budgeting in Bangladesh (SC-CFB)", which is being implemented with support from UNICEF and Save the Children, he said there would be a budget-cycle available for preparing a comprehensive child budget on completion of the SC-SFB project.
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
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