Secretary General of SAARC delivered opening remarks at the Regional Dialogue on Adolescent Pregnancy in South Asia, being held in Kathmandu from 11- 12 July 2024

Kathmandu: H.E. the Secretary General of SAARC Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar delivered opening remarks this morning at the Regional Dialogue on Adolescent Pregnancy in South Asia, being held in Kathmandu from 11- 12 July 2024.

The two day Regional Dialogue entitled “Reshaping the Future” is jointly organised by the SAARC Secretariat, UNICEF South Asia, World Health Organization and UNFPA Asia and the Pacific.

In his statement, the Secretary General highlighted that health and well-being of the over 600 million adolescent population of South Asia largely depend on the extent of their access to information and services that help them make informed decisions about their health.

Ensuring easy access to information and services, therefore, is not just a moral imperative for our Governments, it is a sine-qua-non for the sustainable development of our nations, the Secretary General said. He emphasized the need to increase domestic financing on health services and education campaigns for adolescents, among other initiatives.