On October 30, the Bangladesh 9th National Youth Family Planning Conference wrapped up after two impactful days organized by SERAC-Bangladesh, beginning October 29. This year’s event gathered over 500 adolescents and youth, as well as national and international policymakers and health experts. Since 2016, SERAC-Bangladesh has been leading this annual conference in partnership with the Directorate of Family Planning, the Ministry of Health, and various reproductive health organizations to promote youth-led initiatives in family planning and health advocacy.
The 2024 conference theme, “Empowering Youth – Ensuring Accessibility for All in Family Planning through Expanding Universal Reproductive Health and Education,” highlighted adolescent nutrition, health improvement, life skills, climate justice, and gender equality.
A standout session on the second day, titled “Teens Talk: Developing Health and Nutrition Practices for a Stronger Future,” was hosted by NutriTeens and International Adolescent Health Week (IAHW2024) and moderated by SERAC-Bangladesh’s Program Development Associate, Katha Mondal Dristi, and Program Officer, Lutfa Pathan. Esteemed guests included Dr. Md. Saiful Islam, Program Manager of National Nutrition Services (DGHS); Dr. Md. Shamsul Haque, Program Manager for Adolescent and School Health Programs (DGHS); and Asfia Azim, Deputy Country Director of Nutrition International.
The session offered teens practical advice on understanding balanced nutrition, building healthy eating habits, choosing fast yet nutritious breakfast options, making smarter dining choices with friends, and harnessing family or community support for healthy living. It also addressed common challenges—balancing taste with nutrition, overcoming limited knowledge about healthy eating, and the strong influence of social media on food choices.
In summary, the “Teens Talk” session at the Bangladesh 9th National Youth Family Planning Conference spotlighted empowering youth through accessible family planning and health education, with engaging discussions to inspire teens to adopt sustainable health and nutrition habits for a stronger future.
