International Justice Mission (IJM), a global rights organisation launched Project Shurakkha, a new initiative aimed at protecting children in Bangladesh from commercial sexual exploitation on Wednesday.
The programme was inaugurated at The Westin Dhaka with the participation of government officials, law enforcement agencies, civil society leaders, and international experts.
Speakers at the launch underscored the need for stronger child protection systems and coordinated action to safeguard vulnerable children, reads a press release.
Claire Wilkinson, IJM’s regional vice president for South Asia, said in her keynote address, “Safeguarding children requires both collective effort and robust structures.”
Blair Burns, IJM’s chief programme officer, attended as the chief dignitary. Md Daud Miah ndc, director general of the NGO Affairs Bureau, and Md Saidur Rahman Khan, director general of the Department of Social Services, joined as special guests.
Other notable attendees included Al-Amin Noyon, president of ANIRBAN; Ali Akbar Khan, additional DIG of CID; and Khondakar Md Mahabubur Rahman, additional secretary of the Security Services Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Organisers said the project will focus on four key areas: strengthening the justice system, bringing offenders to justice, rescuing and restoring victims, and scaling demand for justice.
International experts, including Sharon Cohn Wu, Atty. Samson Inocencio, and Maria Theresa C. Casino, shared regional perspectives on tackling trafficking and exploitation in South Asia.
A panel discussion later brought together government and non-government representatives to exchange views on child safeguarding.
The programme concluded with remarks from Wilkinson and UNAIDS Bangladesh Country Director Dr Saima Khan.
Around 200 participants joined the launch event.
IJM, which has been working globally for the past 28 years to protect vulnerable communities, said it will collaborate with the government, civil society, and local communities in Bangladesh through Project Shurakkha to ensure justice and safety for children.
