Ensuring adolescents have access to safe, equitable, and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is a cornerstone of building a healthy and inclusive society. Recognizing this need, SERAC-Bangladesh, with the generous support of the Commonwealth Foundation, has taken a significant step forward through the Adolescent Health Access: Peer-Led SRH Initiative.
The initiative recently marked an important milestone with the successful convening of its Inception Meeting, during which a Technical Working Group (TWG) was formed. This group will serve as a strategic body to guide and oversee the implementation of the initiative, ensuring that adolescent perspectives remain central to all decisions and actions.
The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Dr. Ashrafi Ahmed, Director General of the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), who joined as the Chief Guest. The session was chaired by Dr. Nasir Ahmed, Director of the MCH-Services Unit, emphasizing the government’s commitment to adolescent health. The meeting brought together a diverse audience, including government officials, civil society representatives, Volunteer Peer Leaders (VPLs), and other key stakeholders, fostering a collaborative platform for sharing knowledge and experiences.
Opening the session, SM Shaikat, Executive Director of SERAC-Bangladesh, delivered a warm welcome address, highlighting the critical importance of engaging adolescents directly in shaping the services designed for them. The session also featured insights from project leadership and management: Shahina Yasmin, Project Director; Md. Salim Mia, Deputy Director (Programme); Md. Emran Hossain, Deputy Director (Admin & Finance); Md. Nazmul Hasan, Project Manager; Faria Sultana Trina, Communication Officer; and Md. Nazmul Islam, Finance and Admin Officer. Their contributions underscored SERAC-Bangladesh’s strategic vision and operational readiness to expand youth-friendly SRH services across the country.