SRHR Movement in Progress: DGFP and BMSS Held the First National Youth Council on SRHR

A quiet but important shift is taking place in Bangladesh’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) landscape—one where young people are no longer seen only as beneficiaries, but as partners in shaping national priorities. That shift took a concrete step forward with the inauguration meeting of the National Youth Council on Population, Development & SRHR, held under the leadership of the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) and the Bangladesh Medical Students’ Society (BMSS).

The meeting brought together senior officials from DGFP and a diverse group of youth representatives, marking the first formal platform of its kind where youth voices are being institutionally recognised within population and SRHR governance. Officials from DGFP, including programme managers and line directors responsible for adolescent and reproductive health, maternal and child health, clinical contraception, MIS, and administration, attended the session and offered strategic guidance.

What stood out was the tone of the engagement. DGFP leaders welcomed the formation of the National Youth Council and clearly acknowledged that structured youth participation is essential for strengthening population development and SRHR programmes. They encouraged the Council to generate evidence-based recommendations and signalled openness to engaging the youth platform in future consultations, policy discussions, and DGFP-led forums.

This recognition matters. Bangladesh continues to face persistent SRHR challenges—from adolescent pregnancy and child marriage to unmet contraceptive needs and limited access to youth-friendly services. Young people are often the first to experience these gaps, yet the last to be consulted on solutions. The creation of the National Youth Council seeks to change that dynamic by ensuring youth perspectives inform decision-making at national level.

The Council itself reflects the diversity of Bangladesh’s youth population. Representatives include medical and public health students, indigenous youth, young people from climate-vulnerable regions, youth with disabilities, faith-based groups, and both rural and urban communities. This inclusivity signals an understanding that SRHR challenges are not uniform—and that responses must reflect lived realities across geography, gender, ability, and social identity.

For BMSS, the initiative builds on a long tradition of youth-led advocacy within the health sector. For DGFP, it opens a pathway to ground national strategies in youth realities while strengthening accountability and responsiveness.

The meeting ended with a shared sense of purpose. As one participant reflected, the Council is not meant to replace existing systems, but to strengthen them through dialogue, evidence, and collaboration.

At a time when global funding for SRHR is under pressure and young people face growing health and social risks, the inauguration of the National Youth Council offers a hopeful signal: that Bangladesh is willing to listen, learn, and move forward—together with its youth.