The Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening legislation on women's rights, youth empowerment, reproductive health and the prevention of child marriage through closer collaboration with newly elected members of parliament.
The commitment was made at an orientation workshop jointly organized by the Parliament Secretariat and UNFPA for newly elected MPs from both the ruling and opposition parties.
The workshop focused on the role of lawmakers in helping Bangladesh harness its demographic dividend, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fulfill its commitments under the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Discussions covered maternal and reproductive health, population dynamics, gender equality, youth empowerment and efforts to end child marriage.
Addressing the program, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram said Parliament has a key role in translating national policy commitments into effective legislation.
He said: "The future of Bangladesh will depend largely on the decisions this Parliament takes for young people during this decade. We must invest in girls' education, family planning, reproductive health services and skills development for youth. Many of these priorities also require strong legislative support and parliamentary initiatives."
The orientation featured three thematic sessions jointly led by MPs and UNFPA experts.
Dr M Shahidul Islam, chief of Demographic Data and Intelligence at UNFPA, presented Bangladesh's demographic outlook, saying the country has a unique opportunity to benefit from its demographic, gender and longevity dividends through greater investment in young people, women's economic participation and healthy aging.
MP Fahima Nasrin highlighted the continuing challenges of gender-based violence and child marriage, calling for stronger legal frameworks, sustained investment and survivor-centered support systems.
MP Dr Mahbubur Rahman discussed priorities for improving maternal and reproductive healthcare, including climate-resilient health systems and expanded access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Deputy Secretary Dr Mohammad Golam Mostafa outlined the objectives and planned activities of the Strengthening Parliament Capacity on Population and Development project.
The event was chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni and Parliament Secretary Barrister Md Golam Sorwar Bhuiyan also addressed the program.
During the workshop, UNFPA reiterated its commitment to supporting Bangladesh in strengthening laws related to women, girls, and young people. The agency said it would continue providing technical assistance and policy support for reforms to the Child Marriage Restraint Act, the Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence Act, legislation on preventing workplace sexual harassment, and other laws promoting gender equality, protection from violence, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Speakers said Parliament's leadership would be critical in developing evidence-based policies, allocating resources and modernizing laws to ensure women, girls and young people can fully realize their rights and potential.
The workshop was held under the Strengthening Parliament's Capacity in Integration of Population and Development Issues initiative, which aims to equip MPs with the knowledge, evidence and partnerships needed to promote inclusive and sustainable development through informed legislative action.
