DHAKA: Bangladesh has expressed its desire to build a stronger, more effective and results-oriented partnership with UNICEF to improve maternal and child health, ensure quality education, empower adolescent girls, strengthen child protection and enhance climate resilience. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam conveyed the government’s expectations during a meeting with visiting UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka yesterday.
The meeting discussed various aspects of the longstanding cooperation between Bangladesh and UNICEF in promoting the development and welfare of women and children. Shama Obaed praised UNICEF’s contributions to the advancement and well-being of women and children in Bangladesh since the country’s independence. She said the government was committed to building an inclusive society that ensures dignity, equal opportunities and access to essential services for women and children.
She also highlighted the government’s priority initiatives, including the Family Card and Farmer Card programmes, noting that financial assistance to women-headed households would help strengthen women’s economic empowerment.
The State Minister outlined several government initiatives in education, including school feeding programmes, free textbook distribution and free education opportunities for female students up to the undergraduate level. Highlighting Bangladesh’s significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality, Shama said the government had nearly doubled budget allocations for the health sector to strengthen healthcare services.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving educational standards, she said investment in education would gradually increase, with the aim of raising education spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). On child marriage, she stressed the importance of addressing its underlying socioeconomic causes, including poverty, social norms, school dropouts and limited opportunities for girls.
The meeting also discussed gender-related risks arising from climate change, violence against women, including online harassment, and juvenile crime. In this connection, Shama referred to her recent meeting with Meta officials in New York, where discussions included the possibility of establishing a local office of the company in Bangladesh to ensure faster responses to complaints. She also outlined various government measures aimed at addressing juvenile crime.
The State Minister expressed appreciation for UNICEF’s assistance in ensuring education, healthcare, nutrition and protection for Rohingya children in Bangladesh. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell praised Bangladesh’s progress in reducing child mortality and stunting, increasing school attendance and birth registration, and expanding access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Russell expressed gratitude for the government’s cooperation and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to continuing its support for Bangladesh. Among those attending the meeting from UNICEF were UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Gillian Mellsop, Deputy Representative Emmanuel Abiru and Child Protection Specialist Shabnaz Zaherin Catherine.
Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam and Director General Kazi Ehsanul Haque were also present. The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of Bangladesh and UNICEF to advancing the rights, protection and well-being of women and children through stronger cooperation and targeted development initiatives.
