The Urgency of Strengthening Childhood Safety and Creating Resilient Communities through Integrated Strategic Thinking, Planning, Programming, and Financing
Bangladesh—A Case in Point Ruhi (pseudonym), a street-connected child, has received services from a non-governmental organization-operated Drop-In Centre (DIC) since 2015. She entered into three marriages at the ages of thirteen, fourteen, and sixteen. Due to her spouse's substance abuse and lack of employment, she sought refuge and sustenance at the DIC. Her parents have also experienced multiple marriages. Following her pregnancy and the subsequent loss of her child to pneumonia, her visits to the DIC diminished; however, she continues to reach out occasionally for assistance. Regrettably, many young girls endure similar hardships while living on the streets of Dhaka. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is home to millions of rural migrants driven to the city by a combination of economic and climate-related factors. The majority of these migrants reside in slum areas, which accommodate approximately 3.5 million individuals—representing 40 percent of the city’s total population....