Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change

Bangladesh has a large adolescent population, with over 36 million people aged 10-19. Adolescents have unique sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs, but they often face significant barriers to accessing services. They face a number of challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services. The problems include:

• Lack of awareness and education: Many adolescents in Bangladesh lack the knowledge and awareness about SRHR issues, such as puberty, sexuality, and contraception. This is due to a number of factors, including social stigma, limited access to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), and lack of communication with parents and other trusted adults.
• Limited access to services: SRHR services for adolescents are often limited in availability and accessibility. This is especially true for adolescents in rural areas, where there are fewer health facilities and healthcare providers who are trained to provide SRHR services for adolescents.
• Financial barriers: SRHR services can be expensive, and many adolescents and their families cannot afford the cost. This is especially true for adolescents from low-income households.
• Social stigma and discrimination: SRHR issues are often stigmatized in Bangladeshi society. This can make it difficult for adolescents to seek out and access SRHR services, especially unmarried adolescents.
• Gender-based violence: Adolescents in Bangladesh are at high risk of gender-based violence, including sexual violence. This can make it difficult for adolescents to access and use SRHR services.
• Child marriage: The average marriage age of girls in Bangladesh is 16.3 years. It means most of the girls are victims of child marriage. Child marriage makes SRHR problems worse for girls.

These challenges have a number of negative consequences for adolescents' SRHR. For example, adolescents who lack awareness about SRHR issues are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as unprotected sex. This can lead to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Adolescents who have limited access to SRHR services are also more likely to experience unintended pregnancies and STIs. Additionally, adolescents who are victims of gender-based violence are less likely to seek out and use SRHR services.

he following are some specific examples of the problems of SRHR services for adolescents in Bangladesh:

• Adolescents are often reluctant to seek out SRHR services because of fear of stigma and discrimination. For example, a study by the Population Council found that only 17% of unmarried adolescent girls in Bangladesh had ever visited a health facility for SRHR services.
• Adolescents often lack the financial resources to access SRHR services. For example, a study by the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) found that only 42% of adolescent girls in Bangladesh could afford to pay for contraception.
• Adolescents often face barriers to accessing SRHR services because of their gender. For example, a study by the Gender and Development Research Centre found that adolescent boys in Bangladesh are less likely than adolescent girls to receive counseling on SRHR issues from their healthcare providers.
• Adolescents with disabilities often face additional barriers to accessing SRHR services.

The problems are concerning SRHR of the adolescents.  It is also important to involve adolescents in the planning and implementation of SRHR programs and services. This will help to ensure that the programs and services are meeting the needs of adolescents and are effective in addressing the challenges they face. The project involves adolescent participation. The specific activities of how to process solutions are below:

• Schools will implement comprehensive sexual education (CSE) programs that are age-appropriate and culturally relevant. CSE programs should be taught by trained and qualified educators. Selected teachers will be trained on CSE.
• Adolescent Peer Educators will be created through providing training on SRHR awareness and management to selected adolescents of the community. The peer educators will educate their peers on SRHR so that they can manage their SRHR issue properly and consequently they will also make their friends and family members aware of this issue.
• Community groups will be formed and the groups will provide outreach programs that teach adolescents about SRHR issues. These programs will be held in youth centers, religious institutions, and other community spaces.
• Jointly with the government the project will launch mass media campaigns that challenge negative stereotypes about adolescents and SRHR issues. These campaigns can be disseminated through television, online radio, print media, and social media.
• Jointly with the government the project works to increase the number of health facilities that provide SRHR services for adolescents. This can be done by providing technical support to health facilities.
• The project trains more healthcare providers to provide SRHR services for adolescents. This training should cover topics such as adolescent development, SRHR issues, and youth-friendly service delivery.
• Jointly with the government the project works to reduce stigma and discrimination related to SRHR issues. This can be done through public awareness campaigns and by training healthcare providers and other professionals to be more sensitive to the needs of adolescents.
• Jointly with the government the project will work to address gender-based violence. This can be done by strengthening laws and policies against gender-based violence, providing support services for victims of gender-based violence, and working to change social norms that condone gender-based violence.
• Establish a network of adolescent SRHR champions in schools, youth clubs, and other community-based organizations.
• Develop and distribute SRHR educational materials that are tailored to the needs and interests of adolescents.
• Create a platform for SRHR champions to share their experiences, ideas, and concerns with each other and with policymakers.
• Establishment of mentorship programs to support and guide new SRHR champions.
• Development of a network of SRHR champions who can continue to advocate for SRHR issues even after they have completed the project.

The Adolescent SRHR Champions project has the potential to make a significant contribution to improving the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in Bangladesh. By empowering adolescents to become advocates and peer educators for SRHR, the project will help to ensure that adolescents have the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

The Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project will serve adolescents in Bangladesh, aged 10-19 years. The project will impact their lives in the following ways:

• Increased knowledge and awareness of SRHR issues: Adolescents who participate in the project will gain a comprehensive understanding of SRHR topics, including anatomy, physiology, puberty, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, and healthy relationships. This knowledge will empower them to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.
• Improved access to SRHR information and services: Adolescents who participate in the project will be able to access accurate and up-to-date SRHR information from trained peer educators. They will also be able to receive referrals to SRHR services, such as contraception counseling and STI testing.
• Increased positive attitudes and behaviors related to SRHR: Adolescents who participate in the project will be exposed to positive messages about SRHR. This will help to reduce stigma and discrimination related to SRHR issues, and encourage adolescents to adopt healthy behaviors.
• Reduced rates of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and STIs: The project will help to reduce rates of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and STIs by providing adolescents with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
• Increased participation of adolescents in SRHR advocacy and decision-making: The project will provide adolescents with the opportunity to develop their leadership and advocacy skills. This will enable them to participate more effectively in SRHR advocacy and decision-making at the community, national, and international levels.

In addition to these direct impacts, the project is also expected to have a number of indirect impacts on the lives of adolescents. For example, the project is likely to lead to increased parental support for adolescent SRHR, improved communication between parents and adolescents about SRHR, and a more supportive environment for adolescents to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

Overall, the Adolescent SRHR Champions project has the potential to make a significant contribution to improving the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in Bangladesh.

As a resident of the community, I myself and my team members are well-positioned for the Adolescent SRHR Champions for change project in the following ways:

• Deep understanding of the community and its needs: I have a deep understanding of the cultural, social, and economic factors that influence the lives of adolescents in the community. This understanding will be essential in developing and implementing SRHR educational materials and outreach activities that are relevant and engaging for adolescents.
• Trusted relationships with community members: I have established trusted relationships with community members, including adolescents, parents, teachers, and religious leaders. These relationships will be essential in gaining support for the project and in ensuring that adolescents feel comfortable accessing SRHR information and services.
• Credibility and respect within the community: I am respected and credible members of the community. This will help to ensure that adolescents are receptive to the messages being conveyed by the project.
• Ability to speak the language of the community: I am fluent in the Bangla language/ dialect spoken by the community. This will ensure that adolescents are able to understand the SRHR information being provided.
• Commitment to improving the lives of adolescents: I myself and my team members committed to improving the lives of adolescents in the community. This commitment will motivate you to work hard to make the project a success.

In addition to these general strengths, I myself and my team members may also have specific skills or experience that would be relevant to the project. For example, I have experience in:

• Facilitating workshops or other group activities
• Developing educational materials
• Conducting outreach activities
• Working with adolescents
• Advocating for SRHR issues

By combining my deep understanding of the community with my commitment to improving the lives of adolescents, me and my team members are well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the Adolescent SRHR Champions for change project

50,000 adolescents have been brought under different services of our organization and they will be the beneficiaries of this project. 

Our solution through Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project is innovative for a number of reasons:

• It is a peer-led approach to SRHR education. The project will train and support adolescents to become peer educators on SRHR issues. This approach is particularly effective in reaching adolescents, as they are more likely to trust and listen to their peers than to adults.
• It uses a variety of communication channels to reach adolescents. The project will use a variety of communication channels to reach adolescents, such as social media, mobile phones, and community events. This will help to ensure that adolescents are able to access SRHR information in a way that is convenient and accessible to them.
• It is focused on promoting positive change at the community level. The project will not only provide adolescents with SRHR information, but will also support them in conducting outreach activities in their communities. This will help to create a more supportive environment for adolescents to discuss SRHR issues and to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.
• It is designed to be sustainable. The project will build the capacity of adolescents to become SRHR advocates and educators. This will help to ensure that the project's impact continues even after the project has ended.

In addition to these specific innovations, the Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project is also innovative in its overall approach to SRHR education. The project recognizes that SRHR is not just about providing information, but also about creating a supportive environment where adolescents feel comfortable discussing SRHR issues and making informed decisions about their own health and well-being. By taking this comprehensive approach, the project has the potential to make a significant contribution to the improvement of the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents.

The Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project aims to address the problem of adolescent SRHR by empowering adolescents to become advocates and peer educators for SRHR issues. By providing adolescents with accurate and up-to-date SRHR information, and by supporting them in conducting outreach activities in their communities, the project will help to create a more supportive environment for adolescents to discuss SRHR issues and to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

In simple terms, the project is expected to have an impact on the problem of adolescent SRHR in the following ways:

• Increased knowledge and awareness of SRHR issues among adolescents. By providing adolescents with SRHR information through trained peer educators, the project will help to ensure that adolescents have the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.
• Improved access to SRHR information and services. By supporting SRHR champions in conducting outreach activities in their communities, the project will help to ensure that adolescents are aware of the SRHR information and services that are available to them.
• Increased positive attitudes and behaviors related to SRHR. By providing adolescents with a safe and supportive space to discuss SRHR issues, the project will help to promote positive attitudes towards SRHR and encourage adolescents to engage in healthy behaviors.
• Reduced rates of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and STIs. By providing adolescents with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being, the project will help to reduce rates of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and STIs.
• Increased participation of adolescents in SRHR advocacy and decision-making. By providing adolescents with the opportunity to share their experiences and concerns with policymakers and other stakeholders, the project will help to ensure that the needs of adolescents are taken into account in SRHR policies and programs.

In short, the Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project is expected to have a positive impact on the problem of adolescent SRHR by empowering adolescents to take control of their own health and well-being.

30 full-time work on our solution team. 

Our organization Palashipara Samaj Kallayan Samity (PSKS) has been working for social development for more than 53 years. My team has been working on the solution for 10 years.

The Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project will incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) into its work in the following ways:

• Ensuring that the project is inclusive of all adolescents, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC), disability, religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. This will be achieved through careful recruitment and selection of SRHR champions, as well as through the development of SRHR educational materials that are inclusive and respectful of all adolescents.
• Providing SRHR champions with training on DEI issues. This training will help SRHR champions to understand the importance of DEI and to develop the skills they need to create a safe and inclusive space for all adolescents.
• Encouraging SRHR champions to conduct outreach activities in diverse communities. This will help to ensure that all adolescents have access to SRHR information and services, regardless of their background or circumstances.
• Collecting and analyzing data on the project's impact on DEI. This data will be used to track the project's progress in promoting DEI and to identify areas where improvements can be made.
• Partnering with organizations that are working to promote DEI. This will help to ensure that the project is aligned with broader efforts to promote DEI in the community.

By taking these steps, the Adolescent SRHR Champions for Change project will help to ensure that all adolescents have the opportunity to learn about SRHR and to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

In addition to the above, the project will also incorporate DEI into its work by:

• Using language that is inclusive of all adolescents
• Avoiding stereotypes and assumptions about adolescents
• Being mindful of the power dynamics that exist between adolescents and adults
• Creating a safe and respectful environment where adolescents feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their experiences

By taking these steps, the project will help to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all adolescent.