Barriers to Birth Registration and Education for Children of Returned Migrant Workers in Bangladesh

• Children of women who returned to Bangladesh after facing abuse and exploitation abroad are being denied birth certificates due to the lack of paternal identification.
• Despite legal provisions allowing registration without a father's name, local bureaucratic obstacles prevent these children from enrolling in public schools.

Legal Framework vs. Local Implementation

• Under Section 3 of the Birth and Death Registration Act, 2004, authorities are required to register births even when parental identity is unknown or unavailable.
• Local officials often ignore these mandates, citing fears of liability or lack of process clarity, effectively blocking access to education for these children.
• Government officials acknowledge that training has been provided but admit that implementation gaps persist at the sub-district level.

Challenges Faced by Returned Migrant Women

• Many women fall victim to human trafficking, sexual abuse, and fraud while working abroad, returning home destitute and traumatized.
• Beyond physical and psychological trauma, these women face severe social ostracization and humiliation within their communities.
• While government assistance programs like the RAISE project exist, many victims remain unaware of these resources or are too distressed to navigate the application process, leading to a lack of comprehensive data on their specific needs.

Implications for Child Rights

• Birth registration is a prerequisite for school enrollment and future civic participation, including obtaining a National ID card.
• Experts urge for coordinated action between government bodies and NGOs to ensure that administrative hurdles do not deprive these children of their fundamental right to education.
• Ensuring the protection of these vulnerable children is presented as a critical state responsibility, independent of the circumstances surrounding their birth.