Leaders from civil society, women-led and grassroots organisations, and government ministries gathered today at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka for the "Multistakeholder Consultation on Beijing+30 Review." Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) and UN Women Bangladesh, this event marks a significant step forward on the commitments outlined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) in the lead up to the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (1994).Dilara Begum, Joint Secretary of MoWCA's Policy Leadership and Advocacy Unit, presented an overview of the progress, achievements, and challenges identified in Bangladesh's National Review of the implementation of the BPfA. Attendees and speakers shared messages on the event's 'Women's Wall for the Future,' symbolising collective advocacy and commitment to gender equality. Participants engaged in group discussions and proposed key recommendations for the government based on the BPfA's 12 critical areas of concern, with an emphasis on policy implementation, legislative reform, and strengthened accountability mechanisms. Recommendations included withdrawing the reservations on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopting laws such as the prevention of Sexual Harassment Act and amending the Domestic Violence Act, and creating robust annual monitoring mechanisms to ensure accountability in the implementation of commitments on gender equality. Referring to the youth consultation on Beijing +30 hosted by the Youth Policy Forum on the 12th of November, Anika Bushra from Youth Policy Forum highlighted the key recommendations, including comprehensive sexuality education at schools to address gender stereotypes and discriminatory social norms, ensuring digital safety of women and girls, and prioritizing efforts to tackle tech-facilitated violence. The importance of addressing the gender digital divide, and support gender-responsive skills development, and addressing unpaid and domestic care burden were also noted during the discussion.The multistakeholder consultation also underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships among government ministries, NGOs, and civil society organizations. Participants highlighted the need for inclusive dialogue that brings together voices from all sectors, with particular emphasis on youth and grassroots communities. Additionally, participants called for women and especially young women's representation and leadership in decision-making, across sectors, including quotas for women in political parties. The need for gender-responsive climate action and adaptation initiatives, led by grassroots women, was also highlighted. Good practices, such as Bangladesh's "Meena" cartoon and Orsaline campaign, can be leveraged for effective public advocacy and behaviour change to address gender inequality. Chief Guest Sharmeen S. Murshid, Adviser of MoWCA, emphasised the critical role of youth in shaping a gender-equal future, stating, "Children and youth are our future, and we must create inclusive spaces that amplify their voices and address their needs." She further stressed the importance of male engagement, adding, "Men must engage in these conversations, understand the struggles women face, and actively share the responsibility for achieving equality." In her remarks, she announced plans to initiate Rapid Response Mechanisms to address violence against women and children within 24 hours, strengthen inter-ministerial coordination through collaboration with the Home Ministry, Law Ministry, Labour Ministry and local government, launch programs aimed at engaging men and boys, and initiate scholarly consultations with religious leaders. She also highlighted efforts to tackle technology-based violence in coordination with relevant authorities.Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative of UN Women Bangladesh, underscored the need for collective, intentional actions toward gender equality, stating, "The BPfA remains one of the most visionary blueprints for women's rights, leadership, and empowerment. While we celebrate the gains globally over the last 30 years, be they in education, legal reforms, or closing the gender pay gap, we remain quite off track. None of the SDG 5 indicators have been met to date. No country has achieved gender equality yet. Women and girls cannot wait 200 years for gender equality. UN Women remains a steadfast partner to both the Government of Bangladesh and civil society as we believe we owe it to women and girls and to everyone, to make gender equality a lived reality. A gender-equal world is within our reach if we choose it."The event was chaired by Mohammad Mukhlesur Rahman Sarker, Additional Secretary of MoWCA, with Sharmeen S. Murshid, Adviser to the Ministry, attending as Chief Guest. Special Guests included Mamtaz Ahmed, Senior Secretary of MoWCA, and Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative of UN Women Bangladesh.

DHAKA 5 November 2024 - With a commitment to end the debilitating and life-threatening effects on children of lead poisoning, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), jointly with UNICEF, organized a national workshop today, marking the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The workshop enhanced the understanding of heavy metal sources affecting children, including lead, and engaged Government and private sector stakeholders to take action to mitigate lead pollution. The workshop showcased evidence and findings from previous research that show alarming blood lead levels among children, the sources, and the contamination pathways affecting them and raised the importance of having national representative data on blood lead levels. By understanding these factors, the government of Bangladesh, businesses and civil society organizations can jointly address the challenges of lead poisoning. “Lead and heavy metal poisoning is a silent crisis that demands our immediate and unwavering attention. The Interim Government is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to create a lead-free future for all and ending lead poisoning by 2040. I urge all stakeholders to actively participate in this workshop. Together we can develop a comprehensive protocol and action plan to identify the major sources of toxic metal exposure in Bangladesh,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Honorable Advisor, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.Lead poisoning is an urgent environmental health crisis, especially in Bangladesh. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have increased heavy metal contamination in the environment, exposing children to toxic substances through the air, water, soil, food, toys, paints and cookware. The extent of lead poisoning in women and children among the most vulnerable communities is widespread, being particularly harmful to young children and causing lifelong neurological and physical impairments. “Unlike adults, children are more severely impacted by heavy metals in general and lead poisoning in particular: the effects are life-long and irreversible. Tragically, the period of brain development in children is curtailed, and almost all their organs are affected. In adults, it causes cardiovascular diseases, and in pregnant women, the unborn baby is affected. It is preventable, with clear laws and the right buy-in from the private sector in particular, the enormous health and education costs – not to mention the costs to individual women and children can be dramatically reduced,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh. “Together with partners, UNICEF is fully committed to supporting the Interim Government to fulfil its vision of creating a healthier and safer Bangladesh where every child can grow, play and learn in an environment free from lead and toxic metals.”UNICEF, with the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and the International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh (icddr,b) detected lead in the blood of all of the 980 children tested in Khulna, Tangail, Patuakhali and Sylhet districts as well as in more than 500 children in Dhaka. Among these samples, 40 percent in the four districts and 80 percent in Dhaka exceeded the 5 micrograms per deciliter blood threshold, the minimum cut-off level of the World Health Organization. However, any level of lead is not considered safe, and thus screening for lead, and eradicating the sources of lead will be a priority for the work of the partnership. In June 2024, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF officially announced the launch of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS): Round 7 (2024-2025) with funding from USAID, where for the first time, a model for collecting data on blood lead level and other toxic metals will be included. This reliable, national data on a large scale will provide solid evidence for policy reforms and help introduce stronger legislation and interventions for a lead-free future in Bangladesh, one with lead-free products and far safer industry practices.  Through the partnership for a Lead-free Future (PLF), a global initiative aimed at combatting lead exposure in children, envisioning a world free from lead exposure, Bangladesh has set an ambitious goal to end childhood lead poisoning by 2040. As a PLF partner, with support from UNICEF, Bangladesh signals its commitment to identifying and preventing lead exposure and gaining access to expertise, resources, and collaboration opportunities with CSOs and the private sector. During the workshop, UNICEF called for a multi-sectoral action plan among all relevant Ministries to respond to lead poisoning and strengthen laboratory capacity in the health and environment sectors to test heavy metals. UNICEF is also seeking partners' expertise to support the Interim Government to identify the sources and exposure pathways to help address the causes of lead poisoning.### About UNICEFUNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org/bangladesh/    Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube For more information please contact: Faria Selim, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Bangladesh, fselim@unicef.org 

Now in its sixth edition, the Young Activists Summit (#YAS24) will showcase five inspiring individuals, aged between 19 and 29, whose impactful actions are shaping communities around the globe. Drawing from the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”, this year’s edition, carrying the theme “Go Far, Go Together”, celebrates the power of collective action. The stories of the five Laureates show how collective action by groups or movements can successfully protect the environment and defend human rights. Marley Dias, 19, USA, Black representation in the media: Marley launched the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign when she was 10, to protest against the lack of black representation in the books she read as a child. Her story went viral and was picked up by media around the world. Bloggers, schools, youth organizations and countless people have helped Marley collect over 15,000 books to date, donating them to libraries, schools and people in need. Marley also wrote “Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” and launched Green Ribbon Week to highlight the need for mental health resources for teenagers. In 2020, Marley produced and hosted her show “Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices” on Netflix, with celebrities reading books featuring black characters and authors. Marley has been invited to the White House on several occasions. Sohanur Rahman, 27, Bangladesh, Democracy & Climate action: After surviving super-cyclone Sidr as a child, Sohanur recognized the extreme vulnerability of communities to climate-induced disasters, which hit Bangladesh especially hard. This led him to become a key figure in the country’s fight against climate change. In 2016, he founded YouthNet for Climate Justice, to raise awareness of climate issues among younger generations. In 2019, a campaign led by YouthNet led the Parliament of Bangladesh to declare the climate crisis a planetary emergency. YouthNet also helped halt the construction of ten coal plants. Recently, Sohanur and his group played a key role in peaceful student protests advocating for greater democracy in Bangladesh. This uprising ultimately led to the ousting of the country’s Prime Minister, who had been in power for the past 15 years. Today, Sohanur continues to push for climate action to be prioritized on the interim government’s agenda. Shanley McLaren, 25, France, Online gender-based violence: At a time when more and more intimate content or pornographic deepfakes are posted without the consent of those who are in those pictures, Shanley launched Stop Fisha to protect victims of cybersexism. Stop Fisha has now become a “trusted flagger”, enabling the organization to report non-consensual content to social media platforms more easily, so that the content is taken down and the accounts shut down faster. Stop Fisha also offers psychological support and legal advice to victims, in collaboration with like-minded organizations based in other countries. The organization has also allowed new laws to be passed in France, to prevent online gender-based online violence, sextortion, deepfake pornography, and more. Alvaro Quiroz, 25, Mexico, Helping the homeless: Alvaro found himself on the streets during his teenage years, when he fled his hometown to escape from an environment that rejected his sexuality. Just as he was about to commit suicide, a woman heard his cries and took him to a shelter where he was able to start a new life and study art. At the age of 21, Alvaro created Brigada12 to help homeless people. His non-profit organizes art sales to fund its activities, and has engaged thousands of people to deliver millions of meals, and toys. Brigada12 also provides training and psychological support, thus enabling the homeless to find jobs and live in dignity. In addition, the organization offers targeted help specifically for children and young parents.  Cynthia Houniuhi, 29, Solomon Islands, Climate change & human rights: Cynthia is President of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC). While studying at the University of the South Pacific, Cynthia and 26 of her classmates called on the governments of Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Solomon Islands to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an advisory opinion on the obligations of states regarding climate change, including from a human rights perspective. This request achieved a historic unanimous agreement from the UN General Assembly, the first advisory opinion request of its kind to be passed. Her organization is now made up of 100 members, and its outreach goes far beyond the Pacific, as many Small Island Developing States around the world are threatened by rising sea levels due to global warming. The five Laureates will participate in the Young Activists Summit in person at the Palais des Nations on 19 November 2024 and will be available for interviews in the run-up to the event, and on the day of the Summit. A media kit, video news releases, b-roll footage and pictures of the activists in their communities, and of their causes will be made available to journalists. Registration will open in the coming weeks. To attend the Summit in person, media representatives are required to hold valid UNOG-issued media credentials; media without credentials can register here.  The Summit is organized by the United Nations Office at Geneva, the NGO dev.tv, Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. For any questions or requests, please contact media@youngactivistssummit.orgMore information: www.youngactivistssummit.org    COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE Le Young Activists Summit dévoile ses Lauréat·es 2024Genève, le 10 octobre 2024 Le 19 novembre, le Young Activists Summit 2024 primera cinq jeunes personnalités exceptionnelles qui ont mobilisé leurs pairs ou des communautés et obtenu des progrès concrets sur le terrain. L’évènement aura lieu au Palais des Nations, siège de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève (Suisse), sera retransmis en direct sur internet et est ouvert aux médias. Le sixième Young Activists Summit (#YAS24) mettra à l'honneur cinq activistes âgé·es de 19 à 29 ans, en soulignant l'impact de leurs actions à travers le monde. L'édition de cette année, intitulée « Ensemble, on va plus loin », s'inspire du proverbe africain « Seul on va plus vite, ensemble on va plus loin ». Les parcours des cinq Lauréat·es démontrent qu’il est possible de protéger efficacement les droits humains ou l'environnement grâce à l'engagement collectif de groupes ou de mouvements. Marley Dias, 19 ans, USA, Représentation des personnes noires dans les médias : Marley a lancé la campagne #1000BlackGirlBooks à 10 ans, pour dénoncer le manque de protagonistes noir·es dans les livres qu’elle lisait. Son histoire est devenue virale et a été reprise par des médias du monde entier. Des blogueurs, des écoles, des organisations de jeunes et d’innombrables personnes ont aidé Marley à collecter plus de 15 000 livres à ce jour, pour les donner à des bibliothèques, des écoles et des personnes démunies. Marley a aussi écrit un livre “Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” et a lancé la Green Ribbon Week pour souligner l’importance des ressources en santé mentale pour les adolescent·es. En 2020, Marley a produit et animé Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices sur Netflix, une émission où des célébrités lisent des livres mettant en avant des personnages et des auteur/rice·s noir·es. Marley a été invitée à plusieurs reprises à la Maison Blanche. Sohanur Rahman, 27 ans, Bangladesh, Démocratie & action climatique : Après avoir survécu au cyclone Sidr dans son enfance, Sohanur a pris conscience de la vulnérabilité des communautés face aux catastrophes climatiques, qui touchent pariculièrement durement le Bangladesh. En 2016, il a fondé YouthNet for Climate Justice, pour sensibiliser la nouvelle génération aux enjeux climatiques. En 2019, une campagne de YouthNet a conduit le Parlement du Bangladesh à déclarer la crise climatique comme une urgence planétaire. YouthNet a également contribué à l’abandon de dix projets de centrales à charbon. Plus récemment, Sohanur et son groupeont joué un rôle clé dans les manifestations étudiantes pour une démocratie plus ouverte au Bangladesh. Ces soulèvements pacifiques ont conduit à la démission de la Première ministre, en poste depuis 15 ans. Aujourd’hui, Sohanur milite auprès du gouvernement ad-interim pour que l’action climatique soit une priorité.  Shanley Clemot McLaren, 25 ans, France, Violences sexistes et sexuelles en ligne : Alors que de plus en plus de contenus intimes ou deepfakes pornographiques sont diffusés en ligne, sans le consentement des personnes qui apparaissent sur ces images, Shanley a créé l’association Stop Fisha pour protéger les victimes de cybersexisme. Stop Fisha a obtenu le statut de ‘trusted flagger’, ce qui lui permet de signaler aux grandes plateformes les contenus non-consentis afin de les faire supprimer rapidement et de fermer les comptes qui les diffusent. Stop Fisha offre également un soutien psychologique et des conseils juridiques aux victimes, en coalition avec des associations similaires dans d’autres pays. L’association a en outre obtenu l’adoption de nouvelles lois en France contre les outrages sexistes en ligne, les sextorsions, les deepfakes pornographiques etc. Alvaro Quiroz, 25 ans, Mexique, Aide aux personnes sans abri : Alvaro s’est retrouvé dans la rue pendant son adolescence, après avoir fui sa ville natale pour échapper à un environnement de rejet lié à sa sexualité. Alors qu’il s’apprêtait à se suicider, une femme a entendu ses pleurs et l’a emmené dans un foyer où il a pu se reconstruire et entreprendre des études d’art. A 21 ans, Alvaro a créé Brigada12 pour venir en aide aux personnes qui vivent dans la rue. L’association organise des ventes d’œuvres d’art pour financer ses activités caritatives et a mobilisé des milliers de personnes pour offrir et distribuer des millions de repas, des jouets et des soins. Brigada12 fournit aussi des formations et un soutien psychologique pour permettre aux personnes sans abri de reprendre une vie et un emploi dignes. L’association offre également une aide ciblée pour les enfants et les jeunes parents.  Cynthia Houniuhi, 29 ans, Iles Salomon, Changement climatique & droits humains : Cynthia est la Présidente de l’organisation Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC). Alors qu’elle étudiait à l’Université du Pacifique Sud, Cynthia et 26 de ses camarades de classe ont mobilisé les gouvernements de Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga et des Îles Salomon pour demander à la Cour internationale de justice (CIJ) de délivrer un avis consultatif sur les obligations des États concernant le changement climatique, y compris du point de vue des droits humains. Cette demande a été approuvée par l’Assemblée Générale de l’ONU par consensus, ce qui était une première historique. L’association compte aujourd’hui 100 membres et  mobilise bien au-delà du Pacifique, puisque de nombreuses petites îles à travers le monde sont menacées par l’élévation du niveau des océans due au réchauffement climatique.  Les cinq Lauréat·es ci-dessus participeront au Young Activists Summit en personne au Palais des Nations le 19 novembre 2024 et seront disponibles pour des interviews en amont de l’évènement, ainsi que le jour du Sommet. Un kit médias, des communiqués de presse vidéo, ainsi que des illustrations vidéo (b-roll) et photos des activistes sur le terrain et de leur cause, seront mises à disposition des journalistes. Les inscriptions ouvriront dans les prochaines semaines. Pour assister au Sommet en personne, les journalistes doivent être accrédité·es à l’ONUG ou demander une accréditation sur cette page. Le Sommet est organisé par l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, l’ONG dev.tv, la Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) et l’Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement. Pour toute question ou demande, merci de contacter media@youngactivistssummit.orgPlus d’informations : www.youngactivistssummit.org/fr  

DHAKA/GENEVA 24 October 2024 - The Interim Government of Bangladesh today launched the final phase of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign in Barishal, Chattogram, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions, with the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF and WHO to protect 6.2 million girls aged 10-14 against cervical cancer.This final phase campaign will span for a month building on the success of the first phase of protecting more than 1.5 million girls with the HPV vaccine in October 2023 in the Dhaka division.  “Second highest cancer-related deaths among women are caused due to cervical cancer in Bangladesh. The Government successfully vaccinated more than 1.5 million girls with a single dose of the HPV vaccine in the Dhaka division in October 2023. From today, HPV vaccines will be provided free of cost in the remaining seven divisions to vaccinate girls studying in class five to nine and girls aged 10-14 years who are out of education institutions. A single dose of HPV vaccine will prevent cervical cancer, protect women’s health and help to build a healthy nation,” said M A Akmall Hossain Azad, Senior Secretary, Health Service Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.With Gavi´s support, 6.2 million vaccines have been procured in 2024 and will be available at educational institutions or designated vaccination centers free of cost after registering on the “VaxEPI” app or on the dedicated website. Vaccination sessions will be held regularly from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, except on weekends and public holidays.“Today’s launch means millions more girls will be protected against cervical cancer in the years to come,” said Thabani Maphosa, Chief Country Delivery Officer at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Gavi, in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh, is committed to expanding access to this life-saving vaccine, ensuring that women and girls across the country have the opportunity to thrive and lead healthy lives.” In 2023, over 14 million girls across the world -including the 1.5 million girls in Bangladesh – were vaccinated against HPV with Gavi support. This critical second vaccination phase will build on last year’s incredible progress and contribute towards the Alliance’s goal of reaching 86 million girls by the end of 2025.“We congratulate the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the EPI Program of the Directorate General of Health Services for completing the first phase of the groundbreaking HPV campaign in the Dhaka Division. Now it is time to get these life-saving vaccines to the girls in the remaining seven divisions of Bangladesh specially focusing on out-of-school girls, girls studying in informal and religious schools, and girls living on the streets so that no one is left behind,” said Emma Brigham, UNICEF Representative OIC to Bangladesh. UNICEF commits to work closely with the interim Government of Bangladesh on the overall planning and execution of the HPV campaign, the supply of HPV vaccines, cold chain maintenance, the maintenance of the Vax EPI app, and the crucial social and behavioral change communication and public outreach to make sure that every girl is protected against cervical cancer.Cervical cancer claims the lives of about five thousand women every year in Bangladesh. However, it can be prevented through vaccination, one of the most cost-effective medical interventions; studies have shown an almost 90 percent  reduction in cervical cancer among girls who received HPV vaccine.  “Vaccines Save Lives. The HPV vaccination campaign led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is a life-saving measure that can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer and protect future generations. By uniting in this effort, we have the power to safeguard the women of Bangladesh and pave the way for a healthier future. Our commitment is clear: to ensure that every girl between the ages of 10 and 14 receives her HPV vaccine during the nationwide campaign in October and November 2024. Together, we are championing the health and well-being of the nation’s daughters.” said Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh. WHO is working closely with the Government of Bangladesh on the overall planning, implementation and monitoring of the HPV campaign including microplanning, training, advocacy, real time supervision & monitoring, and vaccine safety surveillance to make sure that every target girl receive one dose of HPV vaccine.Leveraging the learnings from the first phase of the campaign, and to ensure that all eligible girls have access to the vaccine, this second phase will address the barriers that prevented girls - who are not in education institutions - from registering for vaccination. Efforts will be made to engage more female teachers from religious education institutes (Qawmi Madrasha) and English medium schools and deploy sufficient healthcare workers in relevant communities.After the campaign concludes next month, the HPV vaccine will be integrated into the routine immunization program for girls in grade V and 10-year-old girls who are out of the education system. ###