BRAC has unveiled its latest report, shedding light on its significant contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with the strategic direction set by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB).
The report, titled 'BRAC SDG Contribution Voluntary Review 2023' was presented at the BRAC Centre in the capital on Thursday, October 12, 2023. The publication showcases the collaborative efforts between development organisations like BRAC and Government of Bangladesh (GoB) as they work together to achieve the SDGs. BRAC is actively involved in advancing 15 out of the 17 SDGs.
The unveiling ceremony was graced by the presence of the honourable Minister for the Ministry of Planning, M. A. Mannan, MP, who attended as the Chief Guest. Md. Akhter Hossain, Chief Coordinator of SDG Affairs at the Prime Minister's Office; Dr. Shahnaz Arefin, NDC, Secretary of Statistics and Informatics Division participated in the event as the Special Guests. BRAC's Chairperson Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman presided over the ceremony.
During the event held at the BRAC Centre in the capital, Minister for Planning M. A. Mannan, MP, launched the report. In his address as the Chief Guest, he said, “While it's commendable that BRAC has lifted 2 million people out of poverty, there's still a long journey ahead. There's no glory in poverty. We have the opportunity to take direct affirmative action through collaboration and ensure sustainable growth. A shift in the development approach is required."
Md. Akhter Hossain, Principal Coordinator of SDGs at Prime Minister’s Office, was present as the Special Guest. He said, “We have introduced an online SDG tracker to monitor progress, and we have also taken initiatives to localise the SDGs at district and sub-district levels. BRAC is one of the most important NGOs that is working with health, gender, climate change in hard-to-reach areas while recognising the SDG national priority targets in government strategies. We call out to all NGOs to publish their contributions to SDGs.”
BRAC Chairperson Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, who chaired the event, said, “SDG 16 is all about justice, and the ultimate goal is to establish a just society. Bangladesh is grappling with numerous concerns and issues, which makes prioritisation a necessity. It's crucial to recognise that NGOs cannot operate in isolation. The challenges posed by COVID-19 and climate change highlight the fact that we all face the same existential crisis. Therefore, as NGOs, we should collaborate more with government and development partners, with our primary focus being the well-being of the people.
He outlined three calls to actions: "First, we need to build on our successes, recognise reversals and new challenges, and address them. The second call is to expand collaboration not only with the government but also with other NGOs. The third call emphasises the importance of building for sustainability, which requires knowledge, tracking, and analysis."
High-level government officials, representatives of donors, private sector partners, national-international non-governmental and civil society organisations, academia/research organisation and media attended in the event.
The session was moderated by BRAC Senior Director, KAM Morshed, with welcoming remarks at the beginning delivered by S. M. Monjur Rashid, Programme Head for Advocacy for Social Change at BRAC.
Distinguished representatives from the Cabinet Division, academia, development partners, and BRAC attended the event.
Over the past five decades, BRAC has collaborated with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) in various capacities to achieve crucial development milestones, including the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals. Leveraging its development experience spanning more than half a century, BRAC continues to be a key driving force behind the implementation of SDGs in the country.
Between 2016 and 2022, BRAC successfully lifted over 2 million people from 449,990 households out of extreme poverty through its ‘Graduation Approach’. With an astonishing graduation success rate of 96.7 per cent, this accounts for a 18.4 per cent of national extreme poverty reduction during this period. Additionally, BRAC provided assistance to over 3.5 million people with disabilities through various interventions during this period. BRAC’s interventions extend to vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach areas, where it supported 157,896 households to enhance food and nutrition security.
Furthermore, BRAC operates throughout the country through its 16 development programmes and five social enterprises, addressing critical areas such as poverty alleviation, food security, healthcare accessibility, quality education, gender equality, and inclusivity. These concerted efforts enable BRAC to make substantial contributions toward achieving 15 of the SDGs.
This report is the second in a series of reports on BRAC's work toward the implementation of the SDGs, following the first report published in 2021.
