- The Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) held an orientation workshop on July 12, 2026, for new legislators.
- The initiative focuses on empowering parliamentarians to harness the country’s demographic dividend and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Key policy priorities include maternal and reproductive health, gender equality, youth empowerment, and the eradication of child marriage.
Youth and Women’s Rights as Development Drivers
- Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram emphasized the legislative responsibility to invest in girls' education, family planning, and skills development to secure the nation's future.
- UNFPA experts stated that strategic investments in youth and ensuring full economic participation for women are essential for capturing demographic and gender-related dividends.
Addressing Structural Violence and Reform
- MP Fahima Nasrin called for stronger legal frameworks and survivor-centered support systems, noting that laws alone are insufficient to combat gender-based violence and child marriage.
- MP Dr. Mahbubur Rahman highlighted the urgency of building climate-resilient health systems to ensure reproductive healthcare access for vulnerable, frontline communities.
- UNFPA committed to providing technical expertise to modernize and reform key national legislation, including:
- The Child Marriage Restraint Act.
- The Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence Act.
- Comprehensive legislation against workplace sexual harassment.
Strategic Legislative Outlook
- Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal urged lawmakers to transcend partisan politics, prioritizing humane policy design and equitable resource allocation to create an inclusive, rights-based society.
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