Girls face growing risks despite protection efforts

A girl’s childhood should be shaped by school, family and opportunity-not by fear of violence or pressure to marry. Yet a series of recent cases of rape, sexual abuse and murder involving girl children has renewed concerns over their safety and protection in Bangladesh.

*    227 girls raped, 139 faced attempted rape in eight months
*    131 murdered, 110 died mysteriously, 95 by suicide
*    Child Helpline received 5,853 sexual harassment calls in four months
*    Police recorded 4,654 rape cases in eight months
*    Girls’ secondary-school dropout rate stood at 34.87pc

The concerns came into sharper focus as the country observed National Girl Child Day on Wednesday, with calls for stronger protection of girls and greater efforts to safeguard their rights.

September 30 was declared National Girl Child Day in 2003 to promote the rights and protection of girl children. More than two decades later, however, recent incidents continue to expose vulnerabilities faced by children.

Seven-year-old Mahida was found dead in Ashuganj recently after reportedly being raped, while the cases of Ramisa in Pallabi, Faria in Chattogram and a fourth-grade girl in Pabna have also drawn attention to violence against girl children.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), in a statement issued in September, said at least 227 children were raped between January 1 and August 31 this year, while 139 others faced attempted rape. Twenty-four children were killed after rape, three were killed following failed rape attempts and thirty victims died by suicide.

In the first eight months of this year, the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad recorded 884 incidents of violence against girl children, including 240 rape cases, 22 murders following rape, 112 attempted rapes, 93 murders, 28 suicides, 40 abductions and 32 trafficking cases. The data also recorded eight-month figures for other forms of violence, including sexual harassment, stalking, cyber violence and domestic abuse. 

Data from the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum paints another disturbing picture. Between January and August, 409 women and girl children were murdered, including 131 girls. Another 139 died under mysterious circumstances, 110 of them girls. 

During the same period, 303 women and girls died by suicide, including 95 girls. The forum recorded 646 rape victims among women and girls during the period, of whom 398 were girls. Another 110 girls were victims of attempted rape.

The rights organisations also expressed concern over the growing incidents of violence against children and called for effective measures to ensure their safety and hold perpetrators accountable.

The Bangladesh Child Helpline has also received thousands of calls concerning sexual harassment of children. According to data cited by the helpline, 5,853 calls related to child sexual harassment were received between January and April, including calls concerning rape. Helpline officials said calls relating to such incidents have been increasing over the years.

Police Headquarters data also indicates an upward trend in reported rape cases. A total of 4,654 rape cases were recorded at police stations across the country during the first eight months of this year. Between January and June, 3,252 cases were filed, including 1,940 during March-June. Another 707 cases were recorded in July and 695 in August. Police stations under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police recorded the highest number during the period.

The risks facing girls extend beyond sexual violence. Child marriage remains a major obstacle to girls' education and personal development.

According to Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) data for 2023, the secondary-school dropout rate was 34.87 per cent among girls, compared with 30.63 per cent among boys.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data has also identified child marriage as a major reason girls leave school. According to the Socioeconomic and Demographic Survey 2023, around 71 per cent of female students who dropped out cited marriage as a reason.

The figures highlight a challenge that goes beyond getting girls into classrooms. Keeping them in school until they complete their education requires protection from violence, early marriage and other social and economic pressures.

The government and development organisations have introduced stipends and other programmes aimed at increasing girls' enrolment and reducing dropout. But continued violence and child marriage demonstrate that educational access alone cannot guarantee that girls will remain in school or enjoy their rights.

This year's National Girl Child Day theme-“No more child marriage; girls will conquer the world”-puts particular emphasis on ending child marriage and creating opportunities for girls.

Experts and child-rights advocates have repeatedly stressed that protecting girls requires coordinated action involving families, educational institutions, law-enforcement agencies and social-service providers. Effective investigation of crimes, accountability for perpetrators and accessible support for victims are also essential.

Education can expand a girl's choices and improve her prospects, but those gains can be lost when violence, insecurity or early marriage forces her out of school.

National Girl Child Day therefore offers more than an occasion to repeat commitments. It is a reminder that protecting a girl's future requires continuous action-from ensuring her safety at home and on the streets to keeping her in school and protecting her from early marriage.

The real test is whether girls can grow up with the freedom to learn, make choices and reach adulthood safely.