Ensure children's rights 

Our children are not merely tomorrow's citizens-they are the living embodiment of our nation's hopes, dreams, and future prosperity. Their health, safety, and education will shape the country's economic growth, social stability, and democratic maturity. Yet the reality confronting millions of them is alarming: violence, child marriage, poor learning outcomes, and lack of legal identity remain persistent challenges.

An urgent, coordinated, and well-financed strategy is needed to safeguard child well-being. A promising solution proposes two flagship initiatives: Child Protection Community Hubs (CPCHs) and a Department of Children Affairs (DCA), which would work in synergy to address the current crisis.

At present, the statistics paint a sobering picture. Nearly 89% of children under 14 experience violent discipline at least once a month. About 51% of women aged 20-24 were married before turning 18, placing Bangladesh eighth globally and the highest in Asia. Half of 10-year-olds suffer from "learning poverty"-unable to read and understand simple text. Only 56% of children under five have birth registration, denying them legal identity and access to essential services. These are not just numbers; they represent millions of young lives whose potential is being curtailed by systemic neglect, socio-economic pressures, and policy gaps.

Child Protection Community Hubs would serve as one-stop platforms in communities, providing services such as violence prevention programmes, parenting support, child marriage prevention and rapid response, re-enrolment of out-of-school children, and assistance with birth registration and legal identity. Evidence from UNICEF and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) in 43 districts shows that such hubs can prevent hundreds of child marriages, raise awareness among millions, and act as essential community safety nets.

In climate-vulnerable coastal areas, child marriage rates often spike after natural disasters. CPCHs must therefore integrate protection services with climate adaptation measures. This includes offering safe spaces, livelihood support, and crisis response teams. Education can also be restored through CPCH intervention, especially in cases where children have dropped out due to child labour or early marriage. The hubs can link families to education incentives and support services to ensure children return to school.

To ensure every child has legal identity, birth registration should be integrated with immunisation programmes, reducing delays and eliminating procedural bottlenecks. The rollout of CPCHs should begin in districts where high child marriage prevalence overlaps with climate vulnerability and poverty. Sustainable financing is key, and should come from a mix of government budgets, donor contributions, and private sector corporate social responsibility efforts.

Impact must be measured with clear indicators such as reductions in violence, improved school retention, and increased birth registration rates. Investing in child well-being is not a cost-it is a high-yield investment. International studies show that every dollar spent on early childhood protection and education yields multiple times its value in terms of future productivity, reduced healthcare costs, and social stability.

In Bangladesh, preventing child marriage alone can save millions in future healthcare and social welfare costs. It can also lead to higher female participation in the labour force, contributing significantly to GDP growth. The moral argument is equally important. A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable. Failing to protect children is not only a policy failure-it undermines our collective conscience and erodes the moral fabric of the nation.

Bangladesh has already committed to the 8th Five-Year Plan, the National Plan of Action to End Child Marriage (2018-2030), the National Plan of Action to Eliminate Child Labour (2021-2025), and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, without dedicated institutions and sustainable financing, these commitments risk remaining mere promises.

The CPCH and DCA model offers a practical and data-driven path forward. Policymakers, development partners, and communities must act now. Legislation must be passed to establish the DCA with clear powers and responsibilities. Budgetary resources should be allocated to support a phased rollout of CPCHs. Community participation is essential in planning and oversight to ensure trust and local ownership. Child protection indicators must be integrated into national development monitoring systems.

Bangladesh now stands at a crossroads. We can either continue to react to child protection crises as they arise or we can proactively build a safer, fairer, and more prosperous future for every child. The choice is ours.