C T Online Desk: Bangladeshi children have shown excellence in democratic practices through ‘Shishu Parishad’ activities in Cox’s Bazar and elsewhere in the country, according to an international observer.
“It’s an exciting experience for me to observe that children in Bangladesh understand the power of democracy. And they are very serious about their leadership role. It’s a way to empower the community,” Sarah Weiß, programme manager for Asia at action medeor, a German NGO for Humanitarian Assistance and Development Cooperation, told Daily Sun on Saturday after visiting the child council activities in Cox’s Bazar.
The activity is part of a project, a cooperation between Gonoshasthaya Kendra and Action Medeor, and also funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Sarah Weiß observed the election process of Shishu Parishad election in Baharchara union of the district in association with Gonoshasthaya Kendra programme co-coordinator Sultan Mahmud.
Taslioma Munir Rita is elected chairperson of the Parishad. Some 25 child candidates contested out of 4125 voters in that union of them 16 girls and 9 boys.
During the talk, Sarah mentioned that the aim of the programme is to empower the children to raise their issues and problems in front of the local government.
“They prepare themselves (for the future). As there are some challenges in child rights advocacy in developing countries like Bangladesh, the guardians can cooperate with the young group to raise their voice from their respective level,” she said.
Sarah Weiß also met the members of the National Children Task Force(NCTF) in Cox’s Bazar on that day.
The entire election was observed and the center was visited by – Action Medeor Project Manager Sarah Weiss and Public Health Program Coordinator Sultan Mahmood.
Chief election commissioner Prof Fazlul Karim said that the children elected their preferred leaders by engaging in the democratic process. This election was held with the objective of forming the Union Shishu Parishad through direct voting by the youth of 252 Shishu Parishads of Baharchhara Union.
