International Youth Day celebrated in Bangladesh

Social experiments

To get attention and raise awareness on social taboos, two videos with a social experiment where made by youth in Khulna and Barisal in Bangladesh. The experiments are about harassment of young women in public transport and the taboo of buying sanitary napkins. The videos were share offline in youth groups in these regions, on universities and on online platforms, like Facebook. In total around 400 youth, 150 community people, 80 professionals watched the video. After viewing the videos, group discussions were held.

The videos show the practical image of our society. Our current society do not want to accept these things normally and we (youth) need to work on these issues" - Rizvi, Youth group member, Rongosree Uniion, Bakergonj, Barisal

Demand Box

Other youth led activities took place. For example, 15 youth reporters came up with the idea to collected demands from rural youth in a ‘Demand Box’. 85 youth members went to the markets, hospitals, schools, bus stands and many other places to collect input from other youth in the demand boxes. In total 1200 demands where collected, and after screening and discussing selected 30-35 effective demand were selected.

• Improving the scope and infrastructure for computer learning
• Create spaces for youth at community level to improve their capacity and promote scope for leaning through establishing library, sports field, ladies’ toilet at market place, transportation
• Take steps for reducing all types of discrimination to create space for education, capacity building, job and decision making
• To reduce gender-based violence steps should be taken for improving safe working place for women
• Develop night school for working youth and take actions for inclusion of unprivileged youth.

At International youth day they handed these demands over to government officials. They highly appreciated the demands and they will be taken forward to the Ministry of Youth Development Dhaka and to the prime minister’s office who will help them to fulfil their legal demand as much as possible.

Identification of problems and solutions by youth

In Rangpur, the Empower Youth for Work Project celebrated the day at a high school of the village.  The youth identified what they need to create a safe space for youth. They discussed their strengths and opportunities to bring achievable solutions to these problems. By having this event, it gave the space to discuss these issues freely with youth and community and create linkage with private sector,government and NGOs. The issues discussed where about employment, agency of youths and improved interpersonal skill of youth to take actions. Youth reporters captured issues in local media and social media.

 

Cultural activities and debates

 In Kulna, cultural activities, a debate competition and a video show took place. The activities were designed to create Safe Space for Youth by addressing issues of care work, women rights, GBV etc. Government officials were present and youth took part in drama covering four thematic areas of EYW project, such as GBV, Unpaid Care work, SRHR and Climate Change. In four locations a total of 500 youth, community people and government representatives were present.

Additionally, there was a discussion among youth, people from the community and government representatives, and different youth group leaders shared their experiences.  They discussed issues such as:

• How to create employment with morality
• How to fight drug addiction
• How to create more jobs when youth have better technical Skills,
• How to make sure young man and women get  fair and equal wages

youth are the main force and power of our nation and their innovative ideas and initiatives can make our society better". - Mr. Debsish Chowdhury (UNO)