Approduction Workout Session for Effective Youth Advocacy in Bangladesh

From 28th July to 9th August, a four-member JOICFP team headed by Atsushi Yoshino, Director, Media Communications, was in Bangladesh to conduct an Approduction Workout Session for Youth Participation Empowerment through Video Production. It was conducted as a part of Movah! - UNFPA Asia Regional Project: "Strengthening advocacy for ASRH Programs through Youth Initiative" (RAS5R205) (Click here for more details)

Empowering youth as partners in promoting adolescent sexual and reproductive health is a valuable strategy, and successful advocacy needs adult support as well. Half of the 26 participants in the workshop were young people such as Youth Initiators from the two project sites, and National Youth Forum members, with the rest being adults from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS), the Department of Youth Development (DYD), and UNFPA.

For three days, the participants were trained in communication concepts and activities with a video camera, and were instructed on how to operate a video camera. The participants then had to produce a short visual demonstration to bring about a change of mind for a target group.

Practicing using the video camera

In two groups of young people and two groups of adults, the participants applied what they had learned about advocacy and video production to each shoot, and produce a three-minute video.

In the field; making an advocacy video
to change the boss' mind

The results were then discussed and technical advice was provided by resource persons from DYD, UNFPA and JOICFP.

In addition to the production skills, one result of the training was to increase cooperation and understanding between the adults and young people on ASRH.

All participants were very positive about the training, and asked for another Workout Session to focus on editing.

Documentation

As part of project documentation, the JOICFP team took still and video pictures of the daily lives of Youth Initiators and their activities in Ukhia, Cox's Bazar.

This revealed some of the motivations of youth volunteers, such as having strong leadership and interest in wanting to help others, and the pride taken in being a Youth Initiator. Youth initiators were selected from local youth clubs in the project sites.

Government support has been one of the keys to the advancement of Movah! in Bangladesh, and a meeting between young people and Md. Sirajul Islam, Hon. Secretary, MOYS, and M. Waliur Rahman, Director General, DYD was also documented. The Secretary had shown his support earlier by attending the start of the Workout Session.

Director General Rahman encourages youth leaders
to work hard for their community

The mission members also made a courtesy call to Mr. Md. Fazlur Rahman, Honorable State Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who expressed his support for the ASRH related actions taken by UNFPA and JOICFP.