Bangladesh
Strategy Advocacy Research
Activity Dates
2002-2007
Strategy
Sustainability as an Ongoing Strategy
There are several ways in which the ARH program has generated sustainable ARH programming. First and foremost, the HCP ARH program has created a more open and accepting political and social environment for ARH programming. Beginning with the creation of the first ever national ARH strategy, HCP placed ARH issues on the national agenda for the first time to receive attention and resources. Secondly, through the nurturing and support of the national ARH Working Group for all 5 years, HCP helped cultivate a network of key national implementing organizations that are either (a) supporting the activities of the HCP ARH program directly or (b) supporting the program indirectly by now doing their own parallel but complimentary program. With more than 4 million copies of the ARH booklets in circulation in Bangladesh, providing correct and sensitive answers to critical questions on puberty, early marriage and early childbearing, the knowledge based on ARH issues has not only increased but will continue to increase. Likewise, thousands of comic books and multi-media training toolkits are in circulation through organizations such as UNICEF, BRAC, Save the Children, the Government of Bangladesh, UNFPA partner NGOs, ICDDR'B, Plan Bangladesh, USA-GFATM, CWFD, FPAB, Action Aid, Red Crescent Society, BPHC and their partner organizations, Marie Stops Clinic Society, and Food for Hungry International.
The ARH Booklets have also been taken up by government entities such as the Directorate of Women Affairs, Directorate of Youth Development, Bangladesh Scouts, Directorate of Health Services under global fund for tuberculosis, and malaria and AIDS (GFTMA) program. The Health Education Bureau (HEB) of the Directorate of Health Services also implemented the ARH workshops through their model village programs in 64 districts in Bangladesh.
Furthermore, of the 13 implementing NGOs, a handful of them are continuing to implement the Life Skills Workshops on their own, despite the fact that they are not receiving any funding to do this. They have taken it upon themselves to continue this activity as they see the value in helping youth develop as strongly and positively as possible before stepping into adulthood.
Another area of sustainability is through mass media programming. Though the 13-episode TV variety show has already aired, several groups have expressed interest in using the videos in their programs, whether through health center waiting rooms, structured learning sessions with youth, or community viewings. There are several national programs in Bangladesh that are currently negotiating ways to integrate either the materials or tools into their existing programs, so as to capitalize on the high-quality materials and approaches developed under HCP.
It is the hope of BCCP and implementing partners that a phase II for the Nijeke Jano ARH program will allow for long-term institutionalization of the program at the national public school level. It is clear that the NGO and non-formal school sector have taken great interest in the HCP modules and tools, but the next step will be to fully mainstream the ARH education into the public school system of Bangladesh, so that all adolescents regardless of background, have the opportunity to access these important resources and experiences.
ADVOCACY
Advocacy played a critical role in the development and success of the ARH program. Without the sensitization, orientation and relationship-building among key government and decision making bodies, the USAID-funded ARH program never would have been as successful.
BCCP and the National Adolescent Reproductive Health Working Group engaged in constant advocacy to achieve a more enabling social and political environment for adolescent RH. For example, time and effort was spent on ensuring that resources (human and financial) were dedicated to ARH as well as to recognizing the importance of addressing ARH issues programmatically at the national level. One of the first achievements of the Working Group was the creation of the 5-year National ARH Strategy supported by the Government of Bangladesh. Five years after the strategy was developed and approved, the country now enjoys more than a half dozen programs focused on youth and reproductive health, including mass media programming reaching millions of Bangladeshis.
Working at the grassroots level for ARH has been an essential component of the advocacy program. The Working Group and BCCP under HCP began implementation of the ARH program in select communities across the country to build their support and commitment to the issues.
At the community level, ARH focused on parents, guardians, teachers, community/religious leaders, and local-level decision makers as key gatekeepers to societal norms and public discourse related to ARH. HCP realized that it needed to “break the silence” around ARH issues and to increase support for the rights of adolescents including reproductive health information and risk reduction skills. In fact, reaching parents, guardians, teachers and other community-based leaders was just as important as reaching the adolescents themselves.
Advocacy & Partnership Building Objectives
- Increase the acceptance of adolescents' reproductive health rights among parents, guardians, community leaders and policy makers
- Increase the visibility and participation of adolescents in national media and other activities on reproductive health issues for the adolescent
- Increase the perception of adolescents as an important group in society among parents, community leasers, service providers, policy makers and other gatekeepers.
Challenges Faced
Establishing ARH as a community norm is challenging in a country like Bangladesh. Key actions that helped HCP Bangladesh overcome the challenges associated with the socio-political environment include the following:
- Understanding the perspectives and priorities of key government stakeholders and international organizations before broaching ARH issues
- Bringing forth recommendations that are consistent with existing national programs and policies
- Transforming the perception of ARH and life skills education as not solely “sex education” but rather holistic health and development education for youth
- Continuously understanding the need to respect local social and cultural values
- Proceeding at an appropriate pace (not rushing activities simply because of external timelines, but rather ensuring that key leaders are on board with activities and programs first (to prevent backlash)
- Ensure continuous advocacy at all levels.
Research
Two complementary sets of research activities were conducted in support of the Bangladesh ARH Project. One set of activities consisted of three nationally representative surveys of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years living in Bangladesh. These surveys were conducted in 2002, 2004 and 2007 to assess the overall reach and effectiveness of the project's activities.
A second set of activities contributed to the Focused Community Assessment of the ARH Life Skills Workshops and the Toolkit of materials. This assessment included quantitative surveys and in-depth interviews in 2004 and in 2005 among adolescents and their parents in both communities receiving the workshops and in selected comparison communities.
Findings from these studies documented significant positive effects on adolescents' knowledge of reproductive health issues, on their interpersonal communication about adolescence and reproductive health with parents and elder family members, and on their critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary to avoid situations that increase their risk of reproductive health problems. The community assessments also documented a reduction in premarital sex among male adolescents due to the workshops.
REPORTS/PUBLICATIONS
Back to Bangladesh
Note about materials: Some of the materials and resources listed on each page are available in their full form, others are represented by image or citation only. For more information and resources, go to www.jhuccp.org
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