The European Union (EU) Delegation to Bangladesh on Thursday handed over control of its social media accounts to Plan International Bangladesh child rights activists.

To celebrate the launch of the revised EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Child, the European External Action Service is partnering with Plan International to organize a global youth takeover of EU Delegation social media accounts.

In Bangladesh, the ‘youth takeover’ has taken place from 10:00am onwards on Thursday, said a press release.

‘Through this social media takeover, we got the opportunity to hear the viewpoints of two young Bangladeshis on child marriage,’ said Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh.

He said they also discussed impediments that school-going girls face in this country. ‘I am happy to learn that today they conducted live sessions on our Facebook to generate opinion and awareness about issues affecting girls in Bangladesh. We hope all those who have consulted our Facebook today will find in their remarks a source of inspiration’.

Country Director, Plan International Bangladesh Orla Murphy said the Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of all children’s rights, so that every child is able to learn, lead, decide and thrive.

In Bangladesh, 26 million children live below the national poverty line, while 52 per cent of girls are married before the age of 18 – one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, according to the Plan International Bangladesh.

The total population of Bangladesh consists of 50 per cent of youth of which 40 per cent are children.

‘I believe it’s important that children and young people’s voice and views are heard,’ said Jahir Rayan, a participant of the initiative.

EU’s technique in promoting children’s right by mean of Youth Takeover via social media is very innovative and will definitely be impactful among the youth, said Renaissance, another participant of the initiative.

Throughout April, young people across Africa, Asia and the Americas will share their views on the challenges children in their country face, and what more needs to be done to ensure every child’s rights are realized, directly from the Twitter and Facebook accounts of participating EU Delegations.

The EU Guidelines for the Rights of the Child (2017) aim at promoting and protecting equally all the rights that children, especially the most marginalised children have in order to ensure that no child is left behind.