Sweden donates 4 million dollars to improve water security in Bangladesh
The initiative will improve water safety for 20 million people, including 5.4 million children
Sweden’s Ambassador to Bangladesh HE Alexandra Berg von Linde and UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh Sheldon Yett will participate in the signing of the grant on 14 December. Photo: Politeness
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Sweden’s Ambassador to Bangladesh HE Alexandra Berg von Linde and UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh Sheldon Yett will participate in the signing of the grant on 14 December. Photo: Politeness
Sweden has contributed $ 4 million to Unicef to improve the situation of children and young people in Bangladesh.
The grant consists of two grants – one aims to improve water safety, sanitation and hygiene for children, women and communities, while the other focuses on strengthening young people, especially from marginalized communities, said a press release on Tuesday.
“Our goal is a Bangladeshi where all children have access to safe and clean water, basic toilets and good hygiene routines so that all children can thrive and have a healthier start in life,” said UNICEF Bangladeshi representative Sheldon Yett.
Bangladesh will scale up practical and innovative models, previously developed by Unicef with the support of Sweden, for arsenic-free water systems by investing 24 crores of its budget in arsenic-safe water hardware.
The initiative will improve water safety for 20 million people, including 5.4 million children, living in severely arsenic-affected rural areas.
The new $ 2 million grants from Sweden represent the bridging phase of a major grant and will enable Unicef to provide technical assistance that will ensure that the new systems meet national safety standards.
In collaboration with Unicef and Sweden, 2,500 new safe water points have served over 300,000 people, and almost half a million people have benefited from hygiene training and improved latrines over the past four years. Since then, 261 villages have been declared arsenic safe in Bangladesh.
A second additional grant of USD 2 million from Sweden aims to support a broad program of efforts to improve the health, diet, protection and life skills of young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds in Dhaka, Gazipur, Barishal and Patuakhali.
The program includes comprehensive sex education and mental health care. It will also support young people to participate in programs to address the effects of climate change in their communities.
“By investing in young people, we strengthen their ability to build a brighter future for themselves, their families and communities,” added Sheldon Yett.
Sweden’s Ambassador to Bangladesh HE Alexandra Berg von Linde said: “Sweden has supported Bangladesh since its independence to improve young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Increased access to SRHR will help create an enabling environment for young people to liberate its full potential. “
“Sweden is also happy to contribute to expanding the water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for the poor and vulnerable population. Women, children and young people are at the center of Swedish development cooperation.”
In collaboration with Unicef, Sweden has supported Bangladesh in the areas of urban health for slums, climate change, SRHR for young people, the multisectoral response to Covid-19, sanitation, hygiene and limitation of arsenic to improve living conditions for the poor and needy.