SERAC-Bangladesh organized a day-long “Policy Dialogue Workshop for Youth to Engage with Local Decision-makers” in Chandpur District. This event was part of the Youth Catalyst initiative of UNFPA Bangladesh, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and implemented by SERAC-Bangladesh.
The workshop gathered 30 young representatives from diverse socio-geographical backgrounds to deliberate on advancing national policies concerning reproductive health services and climate resilience for marginalized and climate-vulnerable youth populations.
The session was chaired by Mr. Abul Kasem Mohammad Aminul Islam, Deputy Director of Chandpur Family Planning Department, and moderated by Mr. Md. Nazmul Hasan, Innovation and Youth Specialist at SERAC-Bangladesh.
In his opening remarks, Mr. SM Shaikat, Executive Director of SERAC-Bangladesh, highlighted that “Bangladesh is undergoing significant transformation; however, adolescents and youth still face considerable barriers to accessing health and family planning services. To overcome these disparities, it is essential to prioritize the inclusion of young people’s voices in decision-making processes.”
Dr. Mohammad Nur Alam Din, Civil Surgeon of Chandpur, encouraged youth to take on leadership roles where they can actively shape policy. He identified the shortage of healthcare providers as a major challenge and emphasized the importance of involving skilled young individuals to help address this gap.
Mr. Abul Kasem Mohammad Aminul Islam explained that family planning centers provide adolescent-friendly services, maternal healthcare, and general health support, assuring that youth feedback will be central to efforts aimed at improving service quality.
The workshop included various group sessions, presentations, and proposal discussions led by Program Lead Shahina Yasmin and Deputy Director (Program) Md. Salim Mia of SERAC-Bangladesh. Also present SERAC-Bangladesh Finance and Admin Coordinator Omar Faruq, Communication Officer Enamul Haque Roni, and SRHR Coordinator Dr. Nusrat Jahan from Jhpiego Bangladesh.