That children are especially vulnerable to adversities of all kinds including poverty of the family or the community is well-known. Even in a rich country like the United States, 22 percent of children under 18, more than one in five, live in poverty, estimates the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University's School of Public Health. Its research, not surprisingly, shows that poverty impedes “children's ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, and behavioral problems” and “risks are greatest for children who experience poverty when they are young.”

China, on track to surpass the US as the largest economy in the world in a decade, is concerned about the price of economic development paid by children. The argument is that protecting and promoting children's well-being must figure prominently in poverty reduction efforts; otherwise, children end up being short-changed.

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On 23rd October 2015, Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, Chair, Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN) abd Professor Emeritus, BRAC University, attended a panel discussion on "Child Development and Poverty Reduction" at China’s Fourth International Early Childhood Development and Poverty Reduction Summit and 2015 Asia-Pacific Regional ECD Conference 21-24 October 2015 in Beijing, China. The conference was organized by Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) and China Development Research Foundation (CDRF). The discussion points Dr. Manzoor Ahmed have been shared here.

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Hon'ble State Minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ms. Meher Afroze attended in China’s Fourth International Early Childhood Development and Poverty Reduction Summit and 2015 Asia-Pacific Regional ECD Conference 21-24 October 2015 in Beijing, China. The conference was organized by Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) and China Development Research Foundation (CDRF). The State Minister led a 18 members bangladesh team in the conference. She delivered a speech in a plenary session titled "Sustainable Development Goals: ECD 2030; What do we envision accomplishing by 2030?" which was participated by seven ministers of Asia-Pacific countries. The speech of the Hon'ble State Minister has been shared here. 

 

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Each six-year-old child would be admitted to a neighbourhood primary school without being subjected to a qualifying test – this is how it should work because the country has a mandatory education law in place since 1990. But it hardly works this way.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at the Bangladesh Shishu Academy's observance of World Children's Day on October 11, said that every child must find a place in a neighbourhood school. “If the child seeking to enter a pre-primary or primary class has to sit for an exam to prove he/she can read and write, then what is the job of the school?” she asked. “It is the child's right to be admitted to a neighbourhood school,” she said.

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World Teachers' Day, held annually on October 5 since 1994, celebrates teachers and their role in meeting the needs of future generations. The Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), collaborating with teachers' organisations, has planned nationwide activities for the day. The theme this year is “teaching for sustainable development”, in keeping with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) proclaimed by the United Nations in September.

Teachers and their institutions are caught in turmoil in Bangladesh. Teachers at all levels, from primary schools to universities, are engaged these days in work stoppage, rallies and other protest actions. They seem to regard these steps as the only way to draw the attention of policymakers to their plight and problems in the education system.

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Bangladesh Shishu Academy and Early Learning for Childhood Development (ELCD) Project (2nd Phase) organized Early Childhood Day on 1 October, 2014 on the occasion of celebrating Child Rights Week 2014 (29 September to 1 October 2014). The celebration of Early Childhood Day was organized at the premise of Bangladesh Shishu Academy where hundreds of children, guests from different government and non-government organizations gathered. Ms. Meher Afroesze Chumki M.P., Hon’ble State Minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, was the Chief Guest of the ceremony. Mr. Tariq-Ul-Islam, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Ms. Anjana Mangalagiri, Chief of Education Section of UNICEF Bangladesh were the Special Guests. The discussion session on the Early Childhood Development was chaired by Ms. Selina Hossain, Chairman of Bangladesh Shishu Academy. Mr. Mosharrof Hossain, Director of Bangladesh Shishu Academy, welcomed the guests and children in the ceremony.

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Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN) organized National ECD Conference 2014 on 29 March at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST). The conference was supported by Plan International Bangladesh, Aga Khan Foundation-Bangladesh, Save the Children, UNICEF, Bangladesh Shishu Academy and IED-BRAC University.

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Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN), country's leading forum on early childhood, upholds the position that the relative neglect of ECD in EFA and MDG 2015 must not be repeated. Bringing the issue of early childhood as a goal with appropriate targets, strategies and indicators into the ongoing EFA and MDG agenda beyond 2015 discourse has been a key concern of BEN. The conference aimed to provide an opportunity to engage in sharing and dialoging about how ECD could be positioned as one of the priority issues on the post-2015 development agenda, BEN's 2013 National ECD Conference, with support from Plan Bangladesh and European Union, was devoted to this aim.

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Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN) conducted a series of orientation workshops to introduce the government approved GO-NGO collaboration guideline and implementation plan for PPE to the government and non-government stakeholders in Bangladesh. BEN planned the series of orientations in different regions of Bangladesh. Through its regional secretariats, BEN organized seven orientations in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Chittagong, Barisal and Sylhet Regions, reaching out to the BEN member organizations working for PPE in Bangladesh.

BEN Regional Secretariats – Dhaka Ahsania Mission in Dhaka, ALOW in Rajshahi, RDRS Bangladesh in Rangpur, Jagorony Chakra Foundation in Khulna, Songshoptaque in Chittagong, SpeedTrust in Barisal and FIVDB in Sylhet organized the orientation in collaboration with Directorate of Primary Education (DPE). BEN and CAMPE member organizations and government primary education personnel of the respective regions were the key target groups for this orientation program. Funding support of the workshops came from Aga Khan Foundation - Bangladesh complemented by contribution from Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) for the orientation in Dhaka Region and Save the Children for the orientation in Khulna Region.

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Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN) organized the Third National ECD Conference at Bangladesh Shishu Academy in 2008. Annual conference has become a regular event of the network. This year the two day long conference was held on 17-18 November 2008. About 500 people participated in the conference. Along with the BEN members, ECD professionals, educationists, nutritionists, child health specialists, child psychologists, health specialists, media personals, writers, journalists participated in the conference. Ms. Rokeya Sultana, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, was the chief guest and Mr. Quazi Akhter Hossain, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, was the special guest.

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The Government has approved in March 2008 the 'Operational Framework for Pre-primary Education'. The approval is a recognition of the initiative of BEN and it takes BEN one step forward in working with the Government to upgrade the status of early childhood development in Bangladesh. The framework was printed in a book format. In the 3rd National ECD Conference 2008, the book was disseminated among the participants.

Bangladesh ECD Network organized four regional seminars across the country in 2008. The idea was initially proposed by the secretariat at the Executive Committee meeting on 14 February, 2008. The committee approved the idea and it was decided that the four regional seminars would be held in four quarters of the year 2008.

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Considering the acceptance and success of the first National ECD conference and finding that there were plenty of scopes of further presentation, the Executive Committee decided to organize the second one in large scale.  Accordingly, the secretariat prepared for and finally organized the Second National ECD Conference with the slogan ‘Our Children Our Future’ on 10-11 December 2007 at Bangladesh Shishu Academy (BSA) premises. The objectives of this two-day long conference were to share and exchange information interchangeably and innovations in the field, increase awareness of the importance of early childhood development and consider future directions of the Network.

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Bangladesh ECD Network organized its 1st National ECD Conference on 10th December, 2006 at Spectra Convention Centre, Gulshan-1, Dhaka with a view to share information and experience among ECD stakeholders in the country. About three hundred participants from government and non-government organizations and international organizations active in ECD activities took part in the conference. Mrs. Yasmeen Murshed, Honorable Advisor of the Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh addressed the conference as the Chief Guest. Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Md. Abdul Haque was the Special Guest. The theme of the conference was "Building Partnerships for Early Childhood Development".

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The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MWCA) initiated to develop a comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) policy in Bangladesh. Representatives from Bangladesh ECD Network have been involved in the working group formed along with representatives from different Ministries, UN organizations, INGOs, NGOs, professional organizations and research and academic institutes to facilitate the development process and to endorse the final draft of comprehensive ECCD Policy.

In the Asia-Pacific region, a network, ARNEC, has been initiated for Early Childhood Development. The purpose of the network is to build the capacity of Early Childhood Development organizations and individuals through developing a shared vision, mutual cooperation, sharing of knowledge and experiences and initiating joint efforts in the region. Ms. Mahmuda Akhter, Member secretary of BEN and Head, ECDRC, has been nominated as a member of ARNEC Steering committee for two years. As a part of her work at ARNEC, Ms. Akther attended all the steering committee meetings held in Thailand in the year 2008. It is hoped that working with ARNEC will enrich us and in a way we will be able to promote BEN to the region and to get more ECD related information which will be disseminated among the BEN members.

Recently a mapping survey has been completed on Bangladesh and submitted it to ARNEC. The survey has become a good source of ECD information for the Asia-Pacific world. The compilation can be an opportunity for the people all over the world to get an understanding of ECD achievement in Bangladesh.