Empowering Bangladesh’s Youth through Adolescent Health - Policy Brief - Part 1 - Context Setting

Jul 19, 2026

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Empowering Bangladesh’s Youth through Adolescent Health presents the context, rationale, and policy relevance of adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Bangladesh. It highlights risks facing adolescents aged 10–19, including school dropout, early marriage, pregnancy, gender-based violence, and unmet family planning needs. The brief outlines existing initiatives such as school health clinics and national adolescent health strategies while identifying coordination gaps across health facilities, schools, and communities. It introduces a World Bank cross-sectional study and its methodology to review programs, consolidate good practices, and inform future adolescent program design.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

Part 1 - Context Setting

1.1 adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Bangladesh

1.2 adolescent wellbeing in Bangladesh

Part 2 - Cross-Sectional Study: Empowering Bangladesh’s Youth through Adolescent Health

2.1 study objectives and methodology

2.2 good Examples of adolescent sexual and reproductive health programs in Bangladesh

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized EmpowEring BangladEsh’s Youth through adolEscEnt hEalth policy Brief | <br><br>Pub lic Disc losure Authorized<br> | | | --- | --- | | | | 2 EmpowEring BangladEsh’s Youth through adolEscEnt hEalth: policY BriEf Part 1 Context Setting 1.1 adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Bangladesh adolescence is a dynamic period of biological development and social change, and also a period when adolescent girls are at risk of school dropout, early marriage, pregnancy, and gender-based violence. interventions that help adolescent girls reach their full potential by increasing their education, improving their skills, and delaying childbearing and marriage have the potential to create a virtuous cycle that fosters positive trajectories for adolescents as they mature as well as to facilitate improved health and wellbeing outcomes for their children.1 EmpowEring BangladEsh’s Youth through adolEscEnt hEalth: policY BriEf the health and wellbeing of adolescents (10–19 years) has been a neglected area of investment in Bangladesh, despite comprising approximately 22 percent of the Bangladeshi population.2 Bangladesh has the highest prevalence of child marriage among the south asian countries – 51 percent of girls marry before the age of 18 – and ranks among the top 10 in the world. the country is home to 38 million child brides; of these, 13 million are married before the age of 15. married girls in Bangladesh are over four times more likely to drop out of school than unmarried girls.3 adolescents have the highest unmet need for family planning in Bangladesh, and married adolescents have a significantly lower contraceptive prevalence rate than other age groups, leading to a high adolescent fertility rate.4 Bangladesh has the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in the region, with 113 out of 1000 teenage girls falling pregnant before the age of 19.5 almost twice as many newborn deaths (45 per 1000 live births) occur among pregnant women less than 20 years old compared to older women.6 the rationale for utilizing multiple service delivery platforms to support 1.2 adolescent wellbeing in Bangladesh Bangladesh has a long history of running school health clinics, with one in each of the old district headquarters, dating back to the 3 years prior to independence. initially those were constructed with the objective to provide curative and promotional health care to the school children. the government of Bangladesh developed a national strategy for adolescent health 2017–2030 and a costed action plan to improve adolescent health, including sexual and reproductive health. the strategy addresses overall health needs of adolescents, including menstrual hygiene management, prevention of violence and mental health. the government of Bangladesh is currently implementing the 4th health, population and nutrition sector program which includes support for a school-based adolescent health and nutrition program. cross-sectoral efforts to deliver quality sexual and reproductive health information and services will require the participation and contribution of multiple actors. while multiple agencies provide sexual and reproductive health related information and services, there is weak coordination, limited exchange of information, and documentation of existing programs . Furthermore, programme implementers often work in silos and focus on single platforms, i.e. atthe health facility, school, or community levels. presently adolescents receive sexual and reproductive health information and services largely from private sector providers with variable quality. 4 EmpowEring BangladEsh’s Youth through adolEscEnt hEalth: policY BriEf Part 2 Cross-Sectional Study: Empowering Bangladesh’s Youth through Adolescent Health 2.1 study objectives and methodology upon the request of the adolescent health program of directorate general of health services (dghs), the worl

FAQs

Why is adolescent sexual and reproductive health a key priority in Bangladesh?

Adolescence is linked to heightened risks such as school dropout, early marriage, pregnancy, and gender-based violence, alongside low contraceptive use among married adolescents and high adolescent pregnancy rates. The brief also notes substantial newborn mortality among very young mothers.

What existing systems support adolescent wellbeing in Bangladesh?

The document describes long-standing school health clinics, a national adolescent health strategy for 2017–2030, and implementation through the health, population and nutrition sector program, including school-based adolescent health and nutrition support.

How was the World Bank cross-sectional study conducted and what was its purpose?

The study reviewed ongoing and previously implemented adolescent sexual and reproductive health programs in Bangladesh and neighboring countries to identify elements of success and consolidate good practices. It used a literature review, observational case studies, qualitative analysis from interviews and focus groups, and expert validation workshops between October 2021 and June 2022.

Jul 19, 2026

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