Hosna's story

At 13, Hosna  was happy spending time with school work and playing with her classmates.

Suddenly, she was told that her parents had arranged a marriage for her with an older man.

Although she did not know exactly what it meant to be married, she knew that getting married at such a young age would not be good for her - she was worried that marriage would stop her education.

Hosna had learned about the dangers of early marriage during an education session organized in her school by the Family Development Center (FDC) run by Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB).

It was this information that empowered her to stand up to her parents and say “No” to the marriage.

Her parents were very upset and angry and refused to accept her behavior and stopped her schooling.

Hosna went to the FDC for help. The FDC organizer went to Hosna’s home to talk directly withy her parents. They discussed the health consequences of early marriage, and her parents allowed her to return to school.

Hosna is now back in school, and happily enjoying her childhood, thanks to Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB).

The Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB)

FPAB is the oldest and largest non governmental organization in family planning in Bangladesh and contributes around seven percent of the national family planning achievement.

Our focus has shifted from a narrow emphasis on family planning services to a client-centred sexual and reproductive health approach.

FPAB aim to increase male involvement, continue to empower women and promote the community ownership of projects as well as targeting groups such as:

• youth
• staff
• volunteers
• religious and community leaders

with sensitization and information and education programmes.

The sustainability and cost-effectiveness of projects is another focus. We aim to meet unmet need by targeting under-served areas, such as urban slums.

FPAB use peer groups, community leaders, market hawkers and mass media to disseminate information and education on issues including family planning, population and sexually transmitted diseases.

FPAB are facilitating female empowerment through:

• education
• skill development training
• financial and logistic support for income generating activities

as well as encouraging female participation at all levels throughout the association.

We have created peer education programmes for youth, and facilitated the training of volunteers, staff and birth attendants.