Moon Desk: The Inception Ceremony of FOCUS (Fortifying Organizational Capacity to Uphold SRHR movement) was held today, 6 June 2024 at Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan. FOCUS is an initiative by Population Services and Training Center (PSTC), in collaboration with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), to move forward the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) agenda in Bangladesh.
Chief Guest of the ceremony, the Honorable State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Rokeya Sultana, in her speech said, “The government of Bangladesh is committed to providing quality SRHR services at every health center. Although there is a demand for quality SRHR services, not everybody can access them as per their needs, as there is a persistent taboo around the matter. This silence often leads to uninformed decision-making, affecting health and well-being. I hope that the FOCUS project will work to remove these barriers and provide equitable services for all.” Regional Director of IPPF, Ms. Tomoko Fukuda; Country Director of Oxfam International Bangladesh, Mr. Ashish Damle; and Country Director of Plan International Bangladesh, Ms. Kabita Bose were present at the ceremony as Special Guests. Ms. Sanjeeda Islam, Chairperson of PSTC, presided over the ceremony.
The Executive Director of PSTC, Dr. Noor Mohammad, delivered the welcome note at the beginning of the event and facilitated the working session in the second phase. Invited speakers, Ms. Tomoko Fukuda, Regional Director of IPPF; Ms. Mushfiqua Satiar, Senior Policy Advisor – Gender & Civil Society at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka; Ms. Tropa Majumdar, Media Personality and Director of Expressions Ltd.; and Mr. Tony Michael Gomes, Director, Strategic Partnership, Advocacy and Communications at CARE Bangladesh, discussed the topic “How to Ensure Inclusiveness while moving forward SRHR Agenda”. Additional Secretary and Project Director of Urban Primary Health Care Service Delivery Project – II, Mr. Abul Foyez Md. Alauddin Khan, also spoke at the event.
Note that PSTC is a non-profit, non-governmental development organization. It has been working with a strong reputation in various districts of Bangladesh for 45 years, aiming to improve the quality of life for the underprivileged people of Bangladesh.
