The New Nation - Internet Edition

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Unicef and its partners have urged action to tackle the poverty that leads to child labour marking the 10th anniversary World Day against Child Labour.

Improving access to quality education, particularly for girls in poor and rural settings, is a key part of an effective overall approach, Unicef said in a statement on Thursday.

About 100 million girls around the world involved in child labour are often exposed to some of the worst forms of child labour in work situations.

"Many girls work in the same sort of agriculture and manufacturing jobs as boys do, but girls carry a higher burden by taking on long hours for unpaid household inside the home and working elsewhere," said Susan Bissell, Unicef chief of child protection.

In Bangladesh 1.3 million children are involved in hazardous work and 7.4 million are economically active.

"A comprehensive programme for basic education and livelihood skills should be undertaken to address the needs of working children throughout the country. Only then we will be able to address the child labour issue effectively," said Carel de Rooy, Unicef representative in Bangladesh in a programme held on Thursday at the Bureau of Non-formal Education to observe the day.

Unicef in partnership with Bangladesh government is working to provide basic education to more than 160,000 urban working children in Bangladesh in six divisional cities through Hard to Reach Urban Working Children project where 60% students are girls, the statement said.

According to International Labour Organisation, the worst forms of child labour are selling or trafficking children, the forced recruitment of child soldiers, using or offering children for prostitution or the production of pornography and using, procuring or offering children for illicit activities or any other activities likely to harm children.

The most recent ILO global report on child labour states that in 2004 there were 126 million children engaged in hazardous work that endangers the child's safety, health and development.

"Improving schooling for children from poor communities, ensuring the availability of flexible and properly funded education programme for child labourers and other marginalized children and abolishing tuition fees in primary education are ways to address the conditions that can lead to child labour," Bissell said.

Unicef stressed for right to education for all children including girls.

Girls with an education are more likely to avoid poverty and ensure education of their own children helping to avoid future child labour, the statement said.