World can learn many lessons from Bangladesh: UNFPA

Bangladesh has many lessons to share from which the world can learn, the UNFPA representative in Dhaka has said.

Asa Torkelsson was sharing the findings of the UNFPA’s flagship publication ‘State of World Population Report 2019’ released in Dhaka on Wednesday.

State Minister for Health Murad Hassan and UN Resident Coordinator Mia Seppo were also present.

Torkelsson highlighted Bangladesh’s achievements and said this year’s report carries special significance as it coincides with the 50 years of the UNFPA and 25 years of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

The ICPD Programme of Action is a landmark movement through which a consensus was reached about the links between women’s empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, and rights and sustainable development; moving away from population control, towards a human-centred, and rights-based, approach to development.

The ICPD generated a new narrative into the development discourse of an individual’s freedom to decide about his/her reproductive life – putting people at the heart of sustainable development.

The quality of reproductive health services and respect for women’s rights were placed firmly at the centre.

This year’s report takes stock of progress since the ICPD, and identifies gaps with the theme “Unfinished Business: The Pursuit of Rights and Choices for All”.

The report notes that fifty years ago, it was hard for women to obtain contraception and relatively easy to die giving birth.

Many women were unable to decide whom and when to marry, and when or whether to have children.

“Substantive progress has been made worldwide. And in Bangladesh, remarkable progress has been done,” the UNFPA representative said.

“We commend Bangladesh to many of the country’s achievements on the ICPD agenda,” she said.

For example, in Bangladesh, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has decreased to 176 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 from 322 in 2000.

The contraceptive prevalence rate has increased to 62 percent in 2014 from around 45 percent in 1994 this is in line with the global trajectory of achievement.

The coverage of government health services has increased significantly and it provides free assistance to people at community level through its community clinics and through a wide network of public health facilities at the Union, Upazila and District levels,

'More needs to be done'

Significant progress in both primary and secondary school enrolment and completion has been made since 1994. As of 1990, the net enrolment ratio in primary education is said to be 60 percent compared with 98 percent by 2017.

“These are commendable advances result of firm and solid commitment from government and its partners and a remarkably committed health community, driven by passion to realise the needed changes,” Torkelsson said.

But she said the report also indicates “more needs to be done”.

“The report helps us to bring into view the areas lagging behind, and will help us focus action to deliver on our collective commitment.”

“In Bangladesh, in spite of the substantive advances and human capital investments, gaps in basic social services still need to be closed for Bangladesh’s development to be fully realised; covering need to improve in areas of employment-to-population ratio, drop-out rate at the primary and secondary levels, literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds,” she said.

“Sustained investments in these areas will be necessary to fully reap the demographic dividend, or so called, current golden opportunity for Bangladesh. This will also help accelerating Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status and to meet the SDG targets.”

She said there is need to continue effort to eliminate gender-based violence, including the high rate of child marriage, maternal mortality, and unmet family planning needs.

“These are areas at heart for UNFPA, and central to our work focus,” she said.

Young people represent a significant portion of Bangladesh’s population – more than 50 million out of 166 million, which represents a significant potential of country’s developing over the next two decades.

To realise the “demographic dividend” there is need to secure quality education, health and decent employment for boys but also girls, she said.

“In Bangladesh, child marriage rate is still the highest in the South Asia region, which most likely means that these girls would get pregnant risking severe injuries and/or death.

“Approximately 750,000 adolescents are giving birth annually, which means these girls will most likely not continue with their education or enter the work market.

“As Bangladesh is graduating from a LDC, it will be important to include all people in the ambitious journey, and expand the horizon of choices,” she said while highlighting the challenges.

While the 1994 data shows youth unemployment rate at 6 percent it rose to 11 percent in 2017- showing a near doubling of unemployment among youth aged between 15-29 years.

“This could pose a challenge to Bangladesh’s bold aspirations of becoming a middle income country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041.”

Out of pocket expenditure for health care is still high for the majority in Bangladesh. This means that already poor families could suffer catastrophic health expenditure, getting further trapped in the poverty cycle.

Looking forward, she said, some old problems remain and new ones have emerged.

“As a measure of the task ahead, UNFPA and its many partners have issued a clarion call for three zeros by 2030: there should be no unmet need for contraception, no preventable maternal deaths, and no violence or harmful practices against women and girls.”

She also called upon all partners to work with then in ensuring that “choices and rights are for everyone”.

“This in turn could also generate wealth and development, and the co-created future we want and need.”

The UN resident coordinator said the governments which made pledges to the ICPD programme of action should keep their promises, with special attention to reaching those who are left behind – the young, the poor and people in rural areas,” she added.

The state minister for health said Bangladesh is committed to contributing to the realisation of agendas set by the ICPD, which was held in Cairo in 1994.

“We are optimistic that with our continued efforts and multi-sectoral collaboration, we’ll soon be able to overcome the remaining challenges and build an equal Bangladesh for everyone regardless of their gender identity,” Hassan hoped.