Chief Executive of BRAC UK Mary Garvey has said the lessons learnt in Bangladesh in the areas of child health and women’s empowerment have the potential to make huge differences in other communities across the world.
Garvey also said though huge challenges remain in the areas like child health and women’s empowerment, Bangladesh has made an amazing progress, supported by organisations such as Oxfam and BRAC.The observation was made at a function held at the Royal Overseas League in London recently, said a Foreign Ministry media release on Friday. Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Mijarul Quayes hosted the event highlighting the partnership between the state and civil society for a lasting change in Bangladesh.
The event, organised in partnership with BRAC and Oxfam, was attended by parliamentarians, diplomats, civil society representatives and members of the Bangladeshi diaspora.
Speaking at the function, Oxfam Chief Executive Mark Goldring said they are delighted to be recognising the hard work of staff of Oxfam and BRAC in Bangladesh, who are helping to make a real difference to people’s lives.
“But the work cannot stop now …there is still so much more that needs to be done,” Goldring said. Bangladesh’s 580 km coastline is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world and with climate change increasing the threat of storms and flooding, said the Oxfam official.
“We need to ensure that people are prepared for disasters in the most effective way possible.”
The High Commissioner provided an overview of the commendable improvement made by Bangladesh in socioeconomic indicators, including being on track on many of the MDGs.
He highlighted the seminal role of the effective partnering between the civil society organisations and the state in this regard.
He, in particular, lauded Oxfam’s support during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation for which it has been awarded the Friends of the Liberation War Honour.
Oxfam also played an important role in the post-war reconstruction in Bangladesh, he added.
Quayes mentioned that although born in Bangladesh, BRAC is today an international NGO, and is engaged in changing the lives of people, not only in Bangladesh, but also around the world. Prof Naila Kabir of The London School of Economics also spoke on the occasion. – UNB
