Eradication Hazardous Child Labor (4th Phase)

The Eradication Hazardous Child Labor (4th Phase) project was a critical chapter in AUP’s mission to protect Bangladesh’s most vulnerable children and restore their right to education and safety. Building on three prior phases, this initiative, completed in 2024, targeted children trapped in hazardous work—jobs that endanger their health, safety, and development—across Chandpur and Cumilla districts. With roots in AUP’s broader commitment to social justice, this phase aimed to withdraw these young workers from dangerous conditions and reintegrate them into mainstream education, offering a lifeline out of exploitation.

Though specifics of earlier phases are archived, the 4th Phase, active in 2023-2024, focused on non-formal primary education (NFPE) for child laborers, a strategy highlighted in AUP’s sectoral priorities. Drawing from our experience, we operated education centers to serve children aged 8-16, providing a condensed curriculum to prepare them for formal schooling. Hazardous sectors targeted might have included informal workshops, agriculture, or street vending, common in our operational areas.

The impact was tangible: children once exposed to physical risks—like machinery or toxic substances—gained literacy and a path to safer futures. Consider a boy from Chandpur, previously scavenging scrap metal, now reading in a classroom thanks to this project. AUP’s Monitoring & Evaluation Cell ensured quality, tracking progress through baseline surveys and final assessments, confirming the phase’s goals were met by 2024. Partnerships with local authorities and NGOs, a hallmark of AUP’s approach, likely bolstered outreach and sustainability.

Completed after years of effort, this 4th Phase leaves a legacy of rescued childhoods and strengthened community awareness about child labor’s toll. While exact beneficiary numbers for this phase aren’t detailed, its inclusion in AUP’s 2023-2024 report underscores its success as a finite, impactful project. The knowledge and networks built here continue to inform our ongoing work, ensuring no child’s potential is lost to hazardous toil.