Concern over sexual exploitation of street children
Concern over sexual exploitation of street children
The Daily Star Vol 5 Num 743Staff Correspondent
Child rights activists yesterday expressed concern over the sexual exploitation of street children, saying that vested quarters are using them in pornographic movies.
There is an alarming rise in the victimisation of street girls aged between 9 and 18 by pornographers, they said and called for combined efforts of the government and NGOs to combat it.
Such movies are available in CDs and sold openly at specific areas in the city, the activists said at a press conference organised by the Incidin Bangladesh, a child rights organisation.
The organisation has taken an initiative to conduct a research on the issue and placed some recommendations to prevent sexual exploitation of children.
AKM Mustaque Ali, executive director of Incidin Bangladesh, said legal reforms and strict enforcement of laws are a must to stop production, import and distribution of child pornography.
Legal action should be taken against the producers under the Prevention of Women and Children Repression Control Act 2002, he said.
The speakers also stressed the need for strengthening the supervision and monitoring system of the law enforcing agencies to curb such activities.
They also called for raising awareness among the community members about the issue and providing support to the victims.
Advocacy Chief of the organisation Nasimul Ahsan, Coordinator of Misplaced Childhood Project Aminul Islam Khan and Coordinator of Childhood Protection Project Musfiqur Rahman were also present at the press conference held at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity auditorium.
