The Divisional SRHR Knowledge Fair 2026 was held on Monday at Khulna Shilpakala Academy, bringing together youth advocates, policymakers and development practitioners under the campaign theme “Dream, Dare, Do – Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.”
Organised by DALIT and RedOrange, the event focused on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR), menstrual hygiene, child marriage, teenage pregnancy and the need for stronger policy implementation alongside community awareness.
The opening session, chaired by Khaleda Yasmin, Director of Health and Gender at RedOrange, stressed bridging policy with ground realities. DALIT Executive Director Swapon Kumar Das called for localized SRHR interventions, while a youth survivor shared her experience of child marriage and teenage pregnancy, underscoring the human impact behind the statistics. A technical presentation by DALIT Project Manager Shakirun Akter outlined key challenges affecting adolescents across Khulna division.
The first plenary session, “Youth vs Dream: Together for a Period-Friendly World,” discussed menstrual health stigma and access to resources. Moderated by Laila Khatoon, Project Manager at DALIT, speakers highlighted the need for community engagement, targeted resource distribution and behavioral change to ensure a period-friendly environment.
The second plenary, “Share vs Dare: No More Child Marriage,” brought together legal, academic and administrative perspectives. Chaired by senior advocate Babul Hawlader, the session featured research from Khulna University and discussions with officials including the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Khulna. Speakers emphasized coordinated enforcement, education and institutional safeguards to prevent child marriage.
The third session, “Networking vs Do: No More Teenage Pregnancy,” focused on coordinated action among government and service providers. Panelists underlined the importance of integrating health services, social protection systems and youth networks to strengthen adolescent support mechanisms.
The day concluded with “Voices to Action: Shaping the Khulna Declaration on SRHR,” presenting consolidated recommendations from participants and linking outcomes with broader regional consultations. The fair also featured seven exhibition stalls showcasing SRHR initiatives and community toolkits.
The program ended with a cultural performance by Shushilan group, reinforcing the call for equitable access to health and rights for all adolescents.
