A dialogue session between Public Policy Forum (PPF) and Members of Parliamentary Standing Committees has been facilitated by Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha BNPS yesterday, 9 July at National Press Club, Dhaka.

PPF is a collective of Community members to initiate local level fact findings on quality of maternal and reproductive health service and barriers to girl’s education and bring the issue to respective authorities, local MPs and policy makers for a local and policy level solution.  At present 6 Public Policy Forum is active in BNPS and its partner organisation’s working areas located in geographically isolated River and Sea Islands under Sirajgonj and Chittagong districts. Maternal mortality, absence and drop out of girls from schools is more pronounced in these hard to reach locations.

In the session, 8 MPs from Parliamentary Standing Committees on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Primary Education and Ministry of women and Children Affairs paid attention to the Forum Members on cause and consequence of poor maternal and reproductive health services and socio-economic and infrastructural obstruction to girl’s education in their respective communities. Peoples suffer from inadequate health services, dearth of doctors and poor communications systems demands adequate budgetary allocation and reducing the gross mismatch between administrative orders and reality. Two MPs from Sirajgonj and Chittagong were also present at the session playing a mediatory role between the Committees and peoples they represent in the national parliament. BNPS Executive Director Rokeya Kabir moderated the the dialogue session. A group of journalists, doctors, government officials on health, maternal health and education were also present to share critical views and policy implications.