Rationale

• To provide a common platform for the youth of Bangladesh for their betterment in terms of governance, employment, and accountability through collaboration and cooperation.
• To develop an information base through research on youth priorities and needs for future policy and programs focusing on youth development in the long run.

Objective

Celebrating women and girls’ achievements and exploring the obstacles which prevent them from achieving their full potential.

Activity Details

The project has three components – Research, Campaign and Meeting.

Database and Campaign

The first step of this project was to create a database of national and local organizations that work for youth priorities and development. JAAGOs extensive social media network did PR campaigns (using database demographics) to reach out to the organization. Seven hundred twenty youth organizations registered in the database through a participatory approach. The database included the organizations’ basic information and an overview of the organizations’ work focus, previous project experience, and key contact information.

Baseline Survey and Research

Participants from 59 districts of Bangladesh were surveyed. A total of 427 participants were selected from the youth organization database, and 100 representatives throughout the country were trained to ensure the validity and confidentiality of participants. The motive of this Baseline Survey was for network creation, potential obstacles (and how they can be mitigated), and network sustainability. The survey was undertaken from August to September 2015. The collected data can be analyzed in the ‘Baseline Survey National Report’.

Divisional Meetings

After completing the baseline survey and analysis of the results, UNDP and JAAGO held divisional meetings in each of the seven divisional districts of Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet between October 4th and 25th, 2015. These meetings were conducted in two sessions. A session on network mechanisms (and how they can be practically implemented) and another session where participants were asked to design a ‘joint action’ based on the youth issues that affected their locality. In the meetings, JAAGO presented the divisional results of the Baseline Survey.

National Meeting

Before the national meeting, JAAGO convened an ‘expert’s meeting’ on November, 2015, where prominent and knowledgeable figures from within youth development and networking within Bangladesh were presented with the draft framework and its contents discussed. On November’2015, the National meeting was held in Savar, Dhaka. One hundred fifty-four participants attended, acting as representatives from their respective youth organizations. The draft framework was presented to participants, and an open discussion regarding its content and specific queries/comments that participants had ensued. Where prominent and knowledgeable figures from within youth development and networking within Bangladesh were presented with the draft framework and its contents discussed. The national meeting was held on November 6th, 2015 in Savar, Dhaka. 154 participants attended, acting as representatives from their respective youth organizations. The draft framework was presented to participants and an open discussion regarding its content and specific queries/comments that participants had ensued.