Youth engagement to ensure universal access to reproductive health

City Desk :

Experts on Thursday suggested engaging youths in formulating and implementing policies regarding universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) to ensure safe sexual life and access to good quality care to sexual and reproductive wellbeing for all people.

They proposed forming a national SRHR youth committee and revising the related guidelines to increase the youth participation to ensure the access to SRHR, reports BSS.

The experts came up with the recommendations at the opening ceremony of the 9th Knowledge Fair on SRHR, jointly organized by the Share-Net Bangladesh (SNBD) and Asian University for Women (AUW), at a city hotel with the theme “Youth Power 2024: Nothing without Us”.

Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) Director General Md Saifullahil Azam spoke at the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest while United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Bangladesh, Chief of Health Dr Vibhavendra Raghuvanshi and Charge d’Affairs of the Netherlands Embassy in Dhaka Thijs Woudstra spoke as special guests.

Speaking on the occasion, DGFP Director General Saifullahil Azam said, “There is no doubt that it is youth that shapes the future of a country . . . so, without their participation and the consideration of their needs, no plans can be successful”.

Noting that 47 percent of the country’s total population is under the age of 25 years, he said there is an opportunity to harness the demographic dividend using this human resource.

“Therefore, we need to concentrate on the development of several policies to create a skilled workforce and promote youth leadership,” he added.