Every child has the right to thrive and realize their full potential.
According to the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES), 2022 of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the national rate of child poverty is 18.7 percent. This means that approximately one-fifth of the country's population is poor, unable to meet the basic needs of their children, including food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education. As a result, many children are forced to work as domestic servants.
Bangladeshi Ovibashi Mohila Shramik Association (BOMSA), a forum of migrant women workers, told a workshop on Wednesday that about 80 percent of permanent domestic helpers are minor girls. About 95 percent of them do not have any signed agreements with homeowners. Of the domestic workers, 95 per cent are abused, while 21 per cent of them face physical abuse and 61 per cent face verbal abuse.