Speakers at a virtual launching ceremony on Monday said 4 lakh people including children migrate internally in Bangladesh every year. They move to urban areas looking for better work and living opportunities but mostly end up in slums and the hazardous environments.
The virtual launching of “Urban Health Innovation Challenge 2021: Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Cities”, was jointly organized by BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University and Urban Programme of World Vision Bangladesh on the 8th February 2021.
The contest aims to engage urban youths in developing cost-effective and innovative solutions for addressing two important issues - 1) limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and information among adolescents and youths in urban slums, and 2) increasing rate of sexual harassment/abuse in urban slums. Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Chairperson BRAC, and Executive Chairman, Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) was present as the Chief Guest of the program. Chandan Z Gomes, Senior Director - Operations & Ministry Impact, World Vision Bangladesh; Brigadier General (Dr) Md. Sharif Ahmed, Chief Health Officer, Dhaka South City Corporation and Brigadier General Md. JobaidurRahman, Chief Health Officer, Dhaka North City Corporation joined the event as the Special Guests.
Monju Maria Palma, Deputy Director, Urban Program, World Vision Bangladesh inaugurated the event. In her speech she said “every year 4 lakh people including children migrate internally in Bangladesh. They move to urban areas looking for better work and living opportunities but mostly end up in slums and the hazardous environments. World Vision Bangladesh, a global child-focused development organization seeks to address these issues and by engaging youth-led sustainable solutions as the youth are the leaders of the future.”
Dr. Sabina Faiz Rashid, Dean and Professor, BRAC JPGSPH, BRAC University said that “innovation and challenges are necessary for the urban context. The idea is to bring an academic research institute along with other stakeholders together to look for homegrown youth-led solutions that are sustainable and implementable.”
BacheraAktar, Assistant Director, The Center of Excellence for Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (CGSRHR), James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, presented the keynote.
Chandan Z Gomes Senior Director Operations & Ministry Impact World Vision Bangladesh said: “the prime focus of the contest is to find easy, cost-effective solutions to support the disadvantaged people.”
Special Guest Brigadier General DrMd Sharif Ahmed Chief Health Officer, Dhaka South City Corporation, spoke about sexual harassment faced by adolescents living in urban slums and their limited access towards sexual reproductive health service.
“We are trying to increase SRHR service facilities and legal aid supports for these group of population and recently Dhaka South City Corporation has opened a shelter centre in Sadarghat for supporting and capacity building of rootless young people,” he said.
Chief Guest DrHossainZillurRahman, Chairperson of BRAC and Executive Chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), mentioned that SRHR agenda building is an ongoing process and understanding on different dimensions of health and social perspectives are required for ensuring better SRHR service.
Finally, Suresh Bartlett, National Director of World Vision Bangladesh, congratulated the partners that are bringing the initiative together.
He further stated as World vision Bangladesh is now working on the issues in urban areas, innovation and youth-led approaches are something that they are looking for.
This contest will be ended on 25 March 2020. The project was funded by World Vision Bangladesh.
