A holistic approach is imperative

A holistic approach to end malnutrition and gender inequality among adolescents is imperative, said speakers at a roundtable yesterday.

They especially stressed on meeting the nutritional needs of children aged five and below, pregnant women and adolescent girls.

The event, titled "Adolescent Nutrition, Health and Gender Awareness: JANO's Experiences & Recommendations", was held at Begum Rokeya Auditorium of RDRS Bangladesh in Rangpur.  

The roundtable also focused on gender-sensitivity awareness among adolescents.

The event took place based on the findings of a project called "JANO Nutrition Governance Programme", which was funded by European Union (EU) and co-funded by Austrian Development Cooperation.

CARE Bangladesh in association with Plan Bangladesh and Eco-Social Development Organisation (ESDO) implemented the project.

Prof SM Abdul Matin Laskar, director of Rangpur Region Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, chaired the event.

Md Ashik Billah, head of the central and northern region programme of Plan Bangladesh, gave the inaugural speech.

Mohammad Faiz Kawsar, project manager of the JANO project presented the keynote. He  said they chose seven upazilas of Rangpur and Nilphamari for implementing the five-year project, which started in 2018.

Currently, the project is being implemented at 331 schools in these two districts.

The aim of the JANO project is to educate adolescent school-goers on gender sensitivity, empower their knowledge in nutrition and health, and give them practical agricultural knowledge.

Besides, sports are also included in the project to inform the students about their physical health activities. "We are providing them Karate training," he said.

Antora Roy, an adolescent, said she was unaware of the importance of nutrition, reproductive health and safety before the JANO programme.

Segufta Nasrin, assistant teacher of Afan Ullah High School in Rangpur, said social stigmas among parents are the biggest barriers to implementing such campaigns.

Dr Md Shahid Uz Zaman, founder and executive director of ESDO; Shamimur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rangpur; Dr Shamim Ahmed, civil surgeon of Rangpur; Md Shafiqul Islam, education officer of Nilphamari; Md Mosaraf Hossain, assistant inspector of Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board; and Afroz Mahal, director of programme management and implementation at Plan Bangladesh, also spoke at the roundtable among others.