In January 2025, SERAC-Bangladesh, in collaboration with the HealthBridge Foundation of Canada and Ipas Bangladesh, orchestrated a pivotal Knowledge Dissemination Meeting under the “Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Dhaka” project. This initiative, generously funded by Global Affairs Canada is dedicated to enhancing the accessibility and quality of SRHR services specifically focusing on family planning, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and post-abortion care (PAC) for marginalized women and adolescents in Dhaka’s urban locales.
The meeting spanned from January 16 to 25 January 2025, encompassing 72 distinct community sessions across various neighborhoods in Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation, including Mohammadpur, Khilgaon, Mohakhali, Jatrabari, Mirpur, Uttara, Shukrabad, Lalbag, Kamrangirchar and Hazaribag. The primary objective was to aware community members on critical topics such as SGBV, family planning, menstrual regulation (MR), and PAC. These sessions were meticulously organized by Youth Mentors, Youth leaders and Co-leaders with facilitation by dedicated community volunteers.
The initiative witnessed robust participation with 923 individuals attending the sessions. The demographic breakdown is as follows 845 women and 78 men participated.
Notably, 115 participants were aged 19 and younger, underscoring the project’s emphasis on youth engagement. The majority of attendees comprised community health workers/volunteers (730), community leaders (189) and general community members.
The sessions delved into a spectrum of pertinent subjects, including General SRHR information, Contraception methods, Quality enhancement of health services, Addressing sexual and gender-based violence, Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, Stigma reduction strategies, Values Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT), Youth-centric topics.
A team of proficient facilitators, including Kakoli Akter, Sumaia Akter, Md. Shafiullah, Rabiul Islam, and Riyad Hossain through the Youth Mentor as well as General Practitioners (GP) spearheaded these sessions, ensuring the dissemination of accurate and impactful information.
This Knowledge Dissemination Meeting is a testament to the overarching goals of the “Improving SRHR in Dhaka” project. The project has cultivated a formidable network of 1,056 volunteers, known as Projonon Shasthya Bondhu, operating across 120 areas within the Dhaka North and South City Corporations. These volunteers are instrumental in bridging the gap between communities and essential SRHR services, addressing sensitive issues with cultural competence and empathy. Moreover, the project emphasizes capacity building through regular community connectivity meetings, monthly progress reviews, and strategic networking between general practitioners and community volunteers. These efforts collectively aim to fortify the SRHR landscape in Dhaka, ensuring that underserved populations receive the care and support they rightfully deserve.
In essence, the Knowledge Dissemination Meeting exemplifies SERAC-Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to fostering informed communities empowered to make autonomous decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Through collaborative endeavors and community-centric strategies, the “Improving SRHR in Dhaka” project continues to pave the way for a healthier and more.