The progress of implementation of child-cantred projects is comparatively less than that of other projects of the national budget, said a study of Save the Children.
The scenario of child budget allocation and implementation was revealed by Save the Children Bangladesh that analysed some 30 projects of education, health and protection related to child in 2018-19 fiscal year.
Save the Children disclosed the study findings at a press conference at its office in the capital on Wednesday.
It observed that allocation in education and health sectors were also reduced in the revised budget of 2018-19 fiscal year which could be a hindrance to the overall development of children in the country, feared the child rights group.
Besides, budget did not reflect initiatives to strengthen child protection actions despite rise of incidents of violence against children across the country.
Child protection programmes will get proper importance apart from increase of budget allocation in the education and health sectors in the next fiscal year, it hoped.
Abdullah Al Mamun, director, Child Rights Governance and Child Protection, said the country needs more investment in its budget to build today’s child as good and skilled citizen.
And, to meet the goal, he emphasised five areas—allocation to right sectors, transparency in the budget expenditure, participation of children in the budget planning, investment in social sector and budget allocation from the state revenue.
Deputy Director of Child Rights Governance and Child Protection Md Ashiq Iqbal presented the study paper.
Government often take money from sectors related to child budget including health and education to other sectors in the revised budget, he showed in his presentation.
Project design capacity, priority allocation in national budget, decision making capacity of project director and related ministry are some important subjects to address child rights and protection, he added.
In the last fiscal year, 17 per cent budget allocation was increased which the UN child right body appreciated positively. But, the allocation -- compared with other sectors -- is not satisfactory, Md Ashiq Iqbal added.
Bangladesh allocated only 11 per cent in the last fiscal year in education sector which is needed to be increased to 20 per cent to meet global standard. Budget allocation to children is not expenditure-- it’s a strong invest to build the future of Bangladesh, speakers underlined.
Other officials of Save the Children also spoke at the press conference.
