Feature

“Girls like me are dying everyday due to pregnancy related complications, becoming the prey of sexual violence, early marriage and so on. I felt from within to fight against all these social evils” says Ms Makina Rahman Mimi, a member of the National Youth Forum. The adolescents are being faced with sexually transmitted diseases, HIV Aids and so on due to lack of information, social taboos and misunderstandings. However to address the issues regarding adolescent sexual and reproductive health, a movement is being carried over by the youths and the adolescents themselves which is named a 'Movement for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health', in short MOVAH . It is a JOICFP-executed, UNFPA-supported Asia Regional Project for the period of 2004-2007. This movement aims at strengthening national capacity in advocating through youth initiative for increased access of adolescents and youth to Sexual and Reproductive Health information. In simple words it helps the adolescents to ensure their right to information (about sexual and reproductive health) and social practices based on equity and justice. Bangladesh is one of the two countries where Movah! is set up as a pilot project. Surprisingly though, the youth have proved to be the healer of their own aches in Bangladesh.

When in 2004 Movah started its journey in Sonargaon, the local adolescents were not ready to handle such delicate issues. In a conservative society like ours where education of sexual and reproductive health is most likely to be considered as a provocation for promiscuity it is not easy to eradicate the problems concerning sexuality, gender, reproductive health or deep-rooted social systems of dowry or early marriage. Nevertheless after a small training the adolescents supported by local elders including local imams, muajjins and kazis came forward to disseminate the knowledge and tear the cobweb of misconceptions and illiteracy.

Movah's pilot projects in Bangladesh will end this year. During its operation it has achieved much success, though in a short scale. During this period the awareness about adolescent reproductive and sexual health has increased. Incidents of eve teasing have been prevented through peer understanding. There are many incidents where the community has prevented attempts of early marriage. Though dowry is still present, people have identified it as a mal-practice. So, if in this micro-level achievements can be translated into national success, Movah will reach its real destination. However, in order to accomplish this mission more resource mobilization is immediately needed. As the workshop ends, Mr. Noor Mohammad, UNFPA's National Project Officer (Youth and Education), has proudly expressed his expectations - “Movah's success in the pilot projects will not only pave the way for a comprehensive national level program, but also positively inspire many other countries to replicate it.” A four-day workshop titled “Movah! Regional Dissemination Workshop 2007” was held in Dhaka recently where 35 participants from 10 countries and international organizations met and shared their experiences. Youth leaders from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines and Japan expressed their determination to form a better tomorrow for the adolescents of today. It is indeed a hint of hope. Moreover, it is a matter of great pride for us that the lessons learnt from Bangladesh will significantly contribute to macro-level replications of such effective projects across the developing world.

(Department of English
University of Dhaka)