UNFPA lauds Bangladesh’s successes in women, health issues

Newly appointed country representative of UNFPA in Bangladesh Asa Torkelsson on Wednesday appreciated Bangladesh’s achievements in the field of women empowerment, ensuring gender parity and sexual and reproductive health, reports UNB.

While presenting her credentials to foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali, she also assured that UNFPA will continue to work with the government of Bangladesh for the overall development, including supporting gender equality, women’s empowerment and capacity building of institutions from local to national levels.

She greeted Mahmood Ali for Bangladesh’s graduation from one of the least developed countries where improvement of maternal and child health played a significant role.

Highlighting the improvement of maternal health and lowering of child mortality as the priority issues for the government, the Foreign Minister appreciated the long-standing cooperation between the government and UNFPA in diverse fields, such as, sexual and reproductive health, capacity building of institutions and prevention of gender based violence.

The foreign minister thanked UNFPA for partnering with the government for humanitarian response to the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.

Referring to government’s commitment towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the minister expressed the hope that UNFPA will come forward in this regard.

Minister Ali also mentioned about government’s successes in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of time.