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UNICEF urges Bangladesh to increase budget allocation for child-related initiatives

Xinhua, November 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations children's agency has urged the Bangladeshi government to increase the proportion of national budget allocation for child-related initiatives from 14 percent in 2016 to 20 percent by 2020.

The call was made at the launch of "Shishuder Budget Patth Shohaika (Child Friendly Version of the National Budget of Bangladesh')", a joint publication prepared by the Bangladesh's Finance Division and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Bangladesh.

"The national budget is an important instrument in ensuring adequate and equitable resource allocation for children. It is now increasingly acknowledged that children hold the key to development. No investment will be more effective and efficient than to invest in children to give them a good start in life," said UNICEF Bangladesh Representative, Edouard Beigbeder.

While urging the government to increase the proportion of national budget allocation for child-related initiatives, Beigbeder also suggested the establishment of a permanent Child Focus Budget Unit at the Finance Division to provide technical support to all other relevant ministries/agencies.

The publication has been prepared to increase awareness on public finance processes among adolescent boys and girls and the impact it has on their well-being.

Bangladesh's Finance Division, with the assistance of the country's Ministry of Education, has decided to distribute and discuss the contents of the publication in all secondary educational institutions to empower adolescents to contribute more in raising their needs in a systematic manner while having consultation with them on budgetary discussions in coming years, said the UNICEF in a statement.

At the same time, it said the Finance Division with the support of UNICEF is enhancing the capacity of seven ministries (e.g. Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Ministry of Social Welfare, and Local Government Division) to create better awareness of child focused budgeting. Endit