The UNFPA and the government of Japan have launched a new partnership to support the UN agency’s efforts to strengthen Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response services for women and girls in Bangladesh’s Noakhali District and Bhasan Char (Island).
Japanese ambassador Ito Naoki and UNFPA Representative signed the $3.7 million grant agreement on Tuesday. The project will respond to the needs of vulnerable women and girls in Noakhali District, including the host community as well as Rohingya Refugees.
With that budget from the government of Japan, UNFPA responds to their needs by (1) improving access to comprehensive, high-quality SRH services, with special focus on women, girls and persons with disabilities, (2) protect the dignity and safety of women and girls through offering survivor centered GBV prevention and response services through amongst others provision of Women Friendly Spaces, and (3) empower adolescents and youth with the skills and knowledge to strengthen their psychological resilience and express their rights to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives.
Furthermore, the project aims to strengthen the quality of and linkages between targeted health facilities in Noakhali District Sadar Hospital, Hatiya Union Health Clinic and several health facilities in Bhasan Char, thereby including both “upstream” (adolescent, youth, and GBV prevention programming) and “downstream” (clinical referral and response services, information and provision of SRH commodities) activities.
During the signing ceremony, Ito Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, stated “I am delighted that Japan can provide additional assistance toBhasan Char (Island) and Noakhali District, and to the host communities through UNFPA. While many women and girls are suffering from reproductive and maternal health problems and GBV due to the protracted Rohingya crisis, assistance to those areas has been relatively scarce, especially in Bhasan Char. I hope that this assistance will contribute to the protection of women and girls, their dignity, and improvement of their quality of life.”
Kristine Blokhus, UNFPA Representative, said: “With the generous support of the Government of Japan, UNFPA is able to work with the Government of Bangladesh to scale up lifesaving SRH, and GBV services and strengthen linkages between key health facilities in Noakhali district.
“UNFPA wishes to thank the Government of Japan for the confidence expressed and most notably their encouraging engagement to improve health and protection outcomes for women and girls and across Noakhali district and Bhasan Char”.
