SERAC-Bangladesh has been selected for the inaugural World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) Youth Council for the 2025–26 term, a new platform aimed at bringing youth perspectives directly into regional health priorities and country-level action.
Executive Director SM Shaikat will represent SERAC-Bangladesh on the Council, according to a press release issued on Thursday.
“This is a timely opportunity to elevate youth-driven evidence, integrate health rights within primary health care, and strengthen accountability so no one is left behind,” Shaikat said.
“We look forward to collaborating with peers across the region to translate community insights into practical policy solutions,” he added.
The WHO SEARO Youth Council formalizes meaningful youth engagement in health decision-making, providing a structured channel to inform strategies and programs across the region.
SERAC-Bangladesh will contribute its movement-rooted experience in universal health coverage (UHC) advocacy, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and social accountability, connecting local youth voices to regional platforms and implementation pathways.
The council brings together young leaders from across South-East Asia to help shape health policies, amplify youth voices, and support WHO’s efforts to strengthen youth contributions to health systems through advocacy and innovation. It is part of WHO’s broader push to embed youth participation in health governance.
For more than three decades, SERAC-Bangladesh has been a youth-focused, rights-based organization advancing health, gender equality, civic participation, and peacebuilding nationwide, reaching thousands of young people and marginalized communities through programs in SRHR, gender-based violence prevention, democratic engagement, and climate resilience.
