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Last month, BRAC, a partner in the Right Here Right Now programme in Bangladesh, signed an agreement with the Government’s ‘Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education’ (DSHE) to improve the wellbeing of young people across the country. This collaboration aims to empower 66 schools nationwide, transforming not just the school environment but also broader community life. The initiative focuses on issues such as early pregnancies, lack of menstrual health education, and harmful gender stereotypes, which have long hindered young people’s ability to thrive.
Young people in Bangladesh often lack adequate support and education on sexual and reproductive health, contributing to the highest adolescent fertility rate in South Asia. Many girls face early pregnancies, and although information on issues like puberty and menstruation is part of the school curriculum, it is not consistently delivered and lacks comprehensiveness, failing to meet the needs of young people. Additionally, significant stigma surrounds unmarried adolescents seeking information and services around sexual health[1]. As a result, many turn to online pornography for information on sexuality, which in turn perpetuates myths and misinformation about the topic[2].
“Young people need access to reliable information to make informed decisions about their health, education, career, and life. More is needed to also discuss harmful gender stereotypes and stigma”
For Md. Masudur Rahman, National Coordinator for the Right Here Right Now Bangladesh coalition at BRAC, this is a major concern. ‘’Young people need access to reliable information to make informed decisions about their health, education, career, and life. More is needed to also discuss harmful gender stereotypes and stigma,’’ he says. Through the Right Here Right Now programme, BRAC aims to improve quality and expand access to education and information on these topics, focusing on young people aged 15-35.
Masudur explains, “To improve the well-being of young people, you need to engage everyone around them: teachers, health workers, parents, and the community. With the support of Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, BRAC is introducing the Whole School Approach – a holistic model that has shown positive results in countries like Uganda and Kenya. We are confident that students in these 66 schools will soon experience positive changes.”
The Whole School Approach is designed to address adolescent wellbeing by improving various aspects of school life. It focuses on ensuring proper water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, creating clear anti-bullying policies, and ensuring reproductive health education is part of the school curriculum. It brings together students, teachers, parents, and the wider community to foster a supportive, inclusive school environment.
The approach of working collectively is one that well-fits the approach of BRAC, that has carefully build connections with youth movements, (local) governments and community leaders to discuss beliefs around young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as fairness for all genders.
While BRAC’s work has gained increasing recognition, the country faced significant societal challenges. What began as a student-led movement for civil service quota reforms in July this year, escalated into large-scale protests and violent crackdowns, fueled by widespread political and economic dissatisfaction. As a result, schools and universities were shut down for several weeks.
“Hopefully, this approach will equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive academically and personally, leading to wider adoption in more schools.”
In an environment with increase tensions and misinformation, CSOs work faced greater difficulties. Masudur: ‘’After challenging months, we are especially excited about the opportunities this partnership brings.’’
Going forward, BRAC with the support of DSHE will be training teachers to deliver reproductive health education, involving parents for support at home, and collaborating with local communities to combat stigma and misinformation. “We’re looking forward to the first results’’, says Masadur. ‘”Hopefully, this approach will equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive academically and personally, leading to wider adoption in more schools.”
Sources:
[1] Population Council, USAID (2017). Adolescents in Bangladesh: A Situation Analysis of Programmatic Approaches to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education and Services , knowledgecommons.popcouncil.org/ departments_sbsr-rh/578/ , p. 17
