YWCA Bangladesh is committed to improving women’s health and well-being. Our health programs address reproductive health, mental health, maternal care, nutrition, and non-communicable diseases such as breast and cervical cancer. We provide education, information and referral services, with a focus on women and girls living in poverty who often lack access to essential health information and services. Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) remain at the heart of this program.

Access to quality healthcare services is a key step to women’s empowerment and the well-being of children and families. Women’s health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization-WHO). Women and girls across our country, especially those living in poverty, face restricted or no access to information and services about their health including reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The health of women differs from that of men in many unique ways. Women particularly from marginal communities regardless of urban and rural setup still lack free access to health services offered by the public and private sectors. Major barriers to sexual and reproductive health and rights include discrimination, stigma, restrictive laws and policies, and entrenched traditions. Women irrespective of living in urban and rural settings are struggling to get access to primary, sexual, and reproductive health support. The death rate from preventable health causes related to pregnancy and childbirth is still high in our country. Early marriage and pregnancy, or repeated pregnancies spaced too closely together—often as the result of efforts to produce male offspring because of the preference for sons—has a devastating impact on women’s health and mental stress with sometimes fatal consequences. Women are also often blamed for infertility, suffering ostracism, and being subjected to various human rights violations as a result. Hence, women’s SRHR issue is related to multiple human rights, including the right to life, the right to be free from torture, the right to health, the right to privacy, the right to education, and the prohibition of discrimination. Service providers are not fully ready to serve women with a sanative approach. During the COVID-19 pandemic times, due to absence of or insufficient coverage of health service providers as well as traditional gender norms exacerbated women’s sufferings the effect of which is still prevalent in the communities YWCA is working with.

YWCA gives emphasis to address issues related to reproductive health, mental health and well-being, maternal deaths, malnutrition, and non-communicable diseases which women mostly suffer like breast cancer, cervical cancer, etc. through quality and affordable health services. Following global pledges, YWCA re-affirms its commitment and beliefs towards comprehensive health for women in the SP 2023-2028.

Objectives

• To sensitize women, young women, and girls on SRHR and promote access to the appropriate health services (public, private, and third service providers).
• To sensitize duty bearers and service providers for providing women and youth-friendly support for SRHR and mental health well-being.
• To enhance community awareness regarding curative diseases manifested by reproductive health problems. 

Outcomes

• Targeted women, young women, and girls are enabled to realize SRHR and mental well-being and utilize available services by establishing appropriate linkage with public, private, and other service providers.
• Duty bearers and service providers are aware of their responsibilities and delivering quality services to women, young women, and girls.
• Community people are taking effective preventive and curative measures regarding SRHR issues.

Actions

• Form Health Clubs in the community, disseminate information, and provide training, and counseling services to women, young women, and girls.
• Develop life skills of adolescent girls and boys about sexual, reproductive, and puberty health.
• Conduct mapping of health service providers to provide effective information and management of referral services.
• Sensitize health service providers about their roles and responsibilities relating to SRHR, and mental well-being.
• Participate and strengthen the national and international networks working on SRHR.
• Build awareness in the communities about primary health care, preventable diseases, food, and nutrition.
• Organize primary healthcare events and campaigns to sensitize community leaders to promote SRHR.

Achievements

Women, young women, and adolescent girls in marginalized communities across Bangladesh face significant health challenges. Access to information and services related to sexual and reproductive health is limited, especially at the district and sub-district levels. High rates of adolescent pregnancies and infant mortality continue to be pressing concerns. Additionally, many government and private healthcare centers are unable to offer gender-sensitive or adolescent-friendly services. Furthermore, there is a lack of awareness among marginalized women and youth about the available government health services, compounded by a shortage of essential information.