Educo Bangladesh highlights transformative impact on child rights, youth empowerment

Bangla Press Desk:   Educo Bangladesh, in collaboration with its implementing partners POPI, ESDO, and Nari Maitree, hosted a learning-sharing event at the Lakeshore Grand in Gulshan on Tuesday.

The event, titled “Learning Sharing of the Implemented Child Rights Projects,” showcased the successful outcomes of nine multi-district interventions focused on education, protection, and empowerment carried out between 2023 and 2025.

The event showcased the significant learning and impact generated over the course of these initiatives. Including, 90% children demonstrated improved Bangla reading, comprehension, and 96% improved basic numeracy skills, along with stronger school readiness and more regular school attendance. 65% Adolescents and youth reported increased confidence in expressing themselves and participating in community activities. Importantly, 82% of children and youth felt safer in their homes, schools, and communities, and 61% showed greater awareness of protective behaviours and confidence in reporting concerns, said a press release on Tuesday.

Mumtaz Ahmed, Senior Secretary of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs attended the event as the chief guest. Besides, representatives from relevant government ministries, project beneficiaries, development partners, civil society, experts, and media participated in discussions on the findings and their implications for advancing children and youth’s rights in Bangladesh.

Appreciating the efforts of the projects, Mumtaz Ahmed said, “We must adopt a holistic approach to building the capacities of our children and youth, as they represent the future of this nation. This event demonstrates the ongoing efforts in that direction. It is essential to remember that addressing our challenges requires collective impact-oriented action, ensuring that the benefits endure well beyond the lifespan of individual projects.”

One of the beneficiaries, Tania Akter from Aamjuan Fulbari Shishu Surokkha Committee of Thakurgaon’s Ranishaikal upazila, said, “Through Educo’s protection project, we have been able to reduce child marriage and raise awareness about its consequences. Previously, we did not know how to respond to cases of child harassment or trust the legal system. With the support of Educo and ESDO, we now know how to report incidents and have greater confidence in the justice process.”

Md Arafat Sunny, Chairperson of Paragon Shopnochura Youth Club, Bhaluka, Mymensingh, said, “As a beneficiary of Educo’s youth development project, I have gained confidence, career guidance, and stronger leadership and communication skills. Now, I am a government official.  The project has played a vital role in building the capacity of youth in our community, for which I am sincerely grateful.”

Saidur Rahman Khan, DG of Department of Social Services, said, “Educo is implementing a holistic approach to child protection, focusing on creating safe, inclusive, and supportive environments for every child. We have already worked together to address key challenges, and through continued collaboration, we can further strengthen our efforts to ensure the well-being and protection of all children.”

The event included a cultural session in which children showcased their talents and shared their learnings and perspectives through a short drama. It also featured an appreciation session recognising the best Youth and CBCPC clubs from various districts.

About 170 people attended the event. These outcomes demonstrated significant improvements from baseline benchmarks, highlighting the importance of sustained investment in comprehensive approaches to education, protection, and empowerment.

During the event, Educo Bangladesh also shared practical recommendations drawn from the implementation and evaluation of the projects, aiming to inform policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders working to secure the rights of children and youth.

BP/SP