Bangladesh has one of the highest adolescent fertility rates in South Asia, with about 83 births per 1,000 girls. Dhaka is growing fast and is expected to become the world’s 6th most populated city by 2030, with 27 million people. About 4 million people now live in more than 5,000 slums across the city, and many of them are left out of the better health care that city life usually brings. Women working in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector — who make up 60% of that workforce — also face limited awareness about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and few options for getting reproductive health care.

To address these gaps, HealthBridge Foundation of Canada along with its partner Ipas Bangladesh, implemented the Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Dhaka (ISRHR’D) project from May 2021 to September 2026 with funding from Global Affairs Canada. BAPSA, RHSTEP, OGSB and SERAC Bangladesh worked as the local implementing partners of Ipas Bangladesh. The project focused on improving SRHR in underserved areas across Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, Gazipur and Narayanganj districts, supporting referral hospitals, urban primary health care clinics, garment factory clinics and General Practitioners (GPs).