About 81 percent girls fall victim of eve teasing which have increased in recent years posing a serious social problem, observed Prof Dr Shamim F Karim in her presentation at a discussion in the city on Thursday.
A teacher of Dhaka University Dr Shamim viewed that girls and women subjected to sexual harassment suffer from traumatic and deep psychological scars. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid taking part in the discussion recognized the problem. He urged the social leaders to ensure a congenial atmosphere in and out of the campus so that girls and women can move free from sexual harassment.
National consultation on 'Incorporation of Safety Education into National Education Policy' was held in BIAM auditorium. Save the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD) and its informal network Shishu Shurokkhay Amra (SSA) organized the national consultation. The Minister said it is necessity to ensure qualitative progress of education that will result physical, cognitive, social and mental development of the children.
Emphasizing on 'Safety Education,' Nahid said the necessary information should be provided to the children, so that they can face the challenges and needs of daily life effectively and can protect them from the adverse reality of the changing society and can behave positively.
'Safety Education' means inclusion of age specific information regarding physical, psychological and sexual safety for enabling children to prevent and protect themselves from the situation of sexual abuse, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, eve teasing, child drug abuse, peer pressure, child pornography, adolescent's personal health and hygiene related hazards and early marriage.
He also emphasized to include the 'Safety Education' in the teacher's training curriculum. "Social awareness is very important making the friendly atmosphere for the girls attending their educational institutions and protect 'eve-teasing' by local spoiled-boys," added the minister.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed, Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Dr Naila Zaman Khan, Prof Mehtab Khanam, Salma Ali and SCSD representative Niels Bentzen took part in the consultation. Dr Kholiquzzaman said the issues of children's life, skill and school environment were suggested for inclusion in the draft education policy. He expressed hope that the suggestions will be incorporated in the new national education policy.
-New Nation