It was my pleasure to represent APA and SERAC-Bangladesh at the ICPD25 Asia Pacific Youth Forum and Regional Flagship event, which took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 23-25 September. A large number of diverse youth from Asia and the Pacific attended the meetings, and as we are facing similar SRHR challenges, the meetings allowed us valuable space to open up, share and learn from each other.
It greatly helped me to learn about the ICPD regional framework for SRHR and the opportunities for young people as we move forward to Nairobi and beyond. The Youth Forum opened a door to raise SERAC-Bangladesh’s country level involvement in ICPD25 with global leaders and youth advocates, highlighting our issues. SERAC-Bangladesh in collaboration with UKAID, UNFPA and Jhpiego, is having nationwide consultations to mark the road to ICPD25. The consultations are part of a plan for a wide range of activities to engage with young people from hard to reach communities. 8 divisional consultations took place from August to October, with 400 youth representatives from diverse communities including LGBTIQ, sex workers, street children, and other stakeholders. A Bangladesh Youth Shadow report will be launched in November 2019 at a high level national consultation on ICPD25. We know that young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is a burning issue; young people should have equal access to SRH services and education, especially young people from marginalized communities.
Being a part of the ICPD25 Asia Pacific Youth Forum is helping me to implement our ICPD program at the local level, by contextualizing regional issues. Bangladesh is prospering in many sectors but there are still areas to improve with scope to realize the ICPD PoA. Reducing gender based violence, maternal mortality and enhancing women empowerment and equal participation at political level should be a focus. Young people must have their right to heath fulfilled to achieve development and decision makers should accountable for involvement of youth. And we Asia Pacific youth must be aware of our own rights and build our future life.
The three days of meeting also gave me scope to make good contacts, I met with Prof. Dr. Mainul Islam, Chairman of Department of Population Sciences, University of Dhaka. Mr. Sangeet Kayastha, Coordinator of Y-peer Asia pacific. Ms. Pratishtha Deveshwar, India, Ms. Shakila Islam, youth advocate from Bangladesh, Danish Tarikq Malik, Pakistan and other youth from Asia and the Pacific countries.
Asia Pacific youth drafted a statement with their priorities for ICPD25 and beyond as an outcomes, which highlights:
· Comprehensive Sexuality Education
· SRHR services (affordable, accessible, stigma free youth friendly facilities)
· Consistent data collection (Diverse youth’s needs and wants)
· International Human Rights Mechanisms (Respect and dignity)
· Transparent monitoring and evaluation system
· Amendment of existing law and policy.
Other key areas of concern were gender based violence, women in conflict areas, climate migration, educational system reform, and increased regulation and an accountability mechanism for private sector and corporations in national action plans.
