GAGE, UNFPA and CU Partner to Reshape Adolescent Policy in Bangladesh

A comprehensive week-long event series focused on advancing evidence-informed policy for adolescent wellbeing in Bangladesh concluded Thursday, bringing together the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) research programme, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the University of Chittagong. 

Supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the collaboration featured an international academic conference, community feedback sessions with Rohingya youth, and high-level United Nations briefings in Dhaka. 

The initiative addresses the needs of approximately 36 million adolescents in Bangladesh who face persistent challenges such as school dropout, high child marriage rates, and reproductive health stigma, alongside the 1.2 million Rohingya refugees navigating protracted displacement.

The centerpiece of the week was the International Conference on Adolescent and Young People’s Wellbeing held on May 11–12 at the University of Chittagong.

Co-hosted by the Department of Anthropology, the event gathered over 300 scholars and practitioners to discuss empirical research across domains including education, employment, psychosocial wellbeing, and climate resilience. 

Professor Dr. Mohammad Al-Forkan, Vice Chancellor of the University of Chittagong, opened the proceedings by stating, “Let us harness the insights of researchers, practitioners and policymakers to ensure that every adolescent in our country has the opportunity to thrive.” 

Tahera Jabeen, Social Development Adviser at the British High Commission in Dhaka, emphasized the importance of the GAGE programme, noting that “strong evidence is essential to inform effective policy and practice and through this programme and our wider work, the UK remains committed to supporting efforts in Bangladesh and globally that enable adolescents to realise their full potential.”

Furthering the focus on direct engagement, Mr. Masaki Watabe, Officer-in-Charge, UNFPA Bangladesh, underscored that evidence must translate into meaningful leadership for youth. 

“Initiatives for adolescents and young people must be created with them, not just for them. Young people understand their own lives and barriers best; their involvement must evolve from simple consultation to meaningful leadership,” Watabe said. 

To support this, GAGE conducted capacity-building workshops for early-career researchers on longitudinal data analysis and qualitative methods. 

Additionally, on May 13, partners held community feedback meetings in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, allowing adolescent Rohingya girls and boys to engage directly with research findings and ensure community reciprocity in the data-gathering process.

The series concluded on May 14 in Dhaka with a UN-wide briefing titled “Growing up in Bangladesh: Longitudinal Evidence on Adolescent Wellbeing and Transitions 2016–2026.” 

The briefing presented ten years of mixed-methods evidence regarding education, economic empowerment, health, and freedom from gender-based violence. 

Organizers noted that these discussions are vital for future interagency planning, ensuring that adolescents remain at the center of national development priorities and humanitarian action as the country works to secure long-term benefits for the next generation.