Where we work: Bangladesh
Introduction
Bangladesh has achieved gender parity in primary and secondary education since 2005 and is on track to achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1 and MDG 2.However in issues relating to MDG 4, 5 and 6, Bangladesh still faces many challenges.
- Famous singer and MDGs Ambassador Farida Parvin receiving special honour for her support to anti-poverty campaign in Bangladesh/ Photo credit: Enamul Kabir/ The Daily Janakantha
Despite significant progress in reducing child and infant morality rates over the past three decades, the maternal mortality rate (MMR) for Bangladesh is still one of the highest rates in the world.
With rapid population growth and urbanization, Bangladesh faces challenges in three key areas: 1) provision of health and education services; 2) social exclusion of people living in informal settlements and denied rights to adequate housing, resulting in forced eviction; and 3) expanding informal sector. Other obstacles to achieving the MDGs relate to the country’s vulnerability to devastating cyclones and floods amongst other natural disasters, as well as being severely affected by the food crisis due to a reliance on food and oil imports.
- School assembly during Stand Up Take Action 2008 in a school in Dhaka/ Photo credit: Kiron
In partnership with a range of non-state actors including the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), the UN Millennium Campaign works to increase public awareness of the MDGs. The campaign and policy advocacy work strive to strengthen people’s influence on elected officials and political leaders to enhance political will to accelerate MDG progress.
The UN Millennium Campaign’s focus in Bangladesh in 2009 will be on three policy objectives:
1. Promote pro-poor budgeting and resource allocation to social sector in FY 2009-2010 budget;
2. Promote policy adjustment to ensure people’s participation in MDG monitoring and effective implementation of the MDGs; and
3. Promote policies to support rural economy through support toward agriculture sector.
The UN Millennium Campaign’s existing partnerships with the People’s Forum on MDGs and People’s Empowerment Trust, will be strengthened in 2009 and onwards with collaborations being explored and established to foster coalition among the existing networks to promote MDGs.
With the government elected for 2009, the UN Millennium Campaign will continue to inspire, mobilize and support citizens to hold it accountable towards achieving MDGs.
Latest News
SUTA 2009
In Bangladesh over 35,780,404 citizens were mobilized. Civil society campaigners raised the call "National Unity Can Eradicate Poverty," urging that a "Poverty and Hunger Free Bangladesh is Possible Now."
