Staff Reporter :
UNICEF welcomes the Government of Bangladesh’s recent decision to establish separate Children’s Courts, marking a significant step toward ensuring a child-friendly justice system that upholds the rights and well-being of children.
This landmark decision reinforces Bangladesh’s commitment to implementing the Children Act, 2013, aligning national legal frameworks with international standards, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
“In too many cases, children who desperately need support from the social welfare system fall into the criminal justice system. Having child-friendly systems is a step toward ensuring that rehabilitation is given every opportunity to work—putting the focus on a system that is designed to rehabilitate, not punish,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, on Monday.
“This initiative is a response to the brave call from young people during the Summer of 2024 for justice and a fairer system. It will help break cycles of vulnerability and create a more just and inclusive society for young people,” she added.
“UNICEF will continue to support the Government to ensure that children and young people are not arbitrarily detained or separated from their families, ensuring due process in a system that recognizes their age, ensures specifically trained personnel are working with them, and where rehabilitation is the goal,” she said.
UNICEF stated that the establishment of separate Children’s Courts is vital for treating children in conflict with the law with dignity. These courts will offer specialized legal and social services, focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment, and ensure proceedings in a child-sensitive environment with trained judges and legal professionals.
The decision comes at a crucial time, following the civil unrest in Bangladesh in 2024, where young people demanded justice, accountability, and better opportunities.
Their advocacy highlighted the need for reforms to protect children and adolescents from violence, exploitation, and wrongful detention.
Regretfully, during that time, and according to the OHCHR report from last February, children were subjected to arbitrary arrest and often detained in police stations, at Detective Branch headquarters, and in prisons, alongside adults.
They were also subjected to other violations, including torture, ill-treatment, and coercion to induce confessions.
The youth movement demonstrated the strength and leadership of Bangladesh’s youth, pushing for policies that recognize children’s rights and potential.
This reform is a direct response to their demands, ensuring that justice is accessible, fair, and rehabilitative for all children, and preventing atrocities such as those reported in the OHCHR report against children from happening again.
