NEARS (Network for Ensuring Adolescent Reproductive Rights and Services) is a network of organizations and individuals working in the field of adolescent sexual and reproductive health, rights and services.

In Bangladesh, adolescents (10-19 years) represent around 23% (33 million) of the total population that is roughly a quarter of the total population. This cohort represents the next wave of parents and community leaders in Bangladesh. However, as adolescents enter into their sexual and reproductive years, they encounter an array of health and social vulnerabilities that can compromise both their immediate and long-term health and economic prospects. Adolescents face a number of important risks at this time of life, ranging from those arising from early marriage and pregnancy, domestic violence, inadequate nutrition and STIs, to name some of the most critical. For this reason it is crucial that reproductive health services, including other services are available to adolescents. Although these kinds of challenges are preventable or treatable, a range of obstacles get in the way like appropriate services may not be available, social support may not exist for certain kinds of changes and adolescents may be reluctant to seek reproductive health care because they lack confidence or feel that they must accept their problems without complaint.

Girls in particular need support and encouragement in seeking health care, given their role in childbearing and their extra vulnerability to malnutrition and violence. In fact, attention to adolescent health care in general, and adolescent reproductive health in particular has been notably scant in Bangladesh, despite the large population profile of this age group. Key factors have been the traditional social stigma concerning adolescent sexuality and competing priorities within the health sector. In this backdrop, NEARS is addreesing the above mentioned issues in colaboration with all its members.

‘Strengthening Adolescent Reproductive Health in Bangladesh (ARH)’ is a five year project. The project contributes the goal & objective of NEARS & works closely with NEARS & provides some financial support for website. The project is awarded to Plan Canada and its ally Plan Bangladesh, by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The project envisions to improving sexual and reproductive health of vulnerable and underserved adolescents through developing capacity at the social, health provider and policy levels to meet their reproductive health needs in selected areas of Bangladesh through partnerships with the Government of Bangladesh, UN agencies, NGOs and Communities following a participatory approach. The project will complement implementation of the national ARH strategy.