On 25 July 2020, LIVE Webinar on Youth & Economic Growth in Bangladesh, by Shongjog was conducted featuring Dr. M. Shahadat Hossain Siddique, Senior Research Fellow and Avinno Faruk, Research Associate from BIGD and Towfiqul Islam Khan, Senior Research Fellow, CPD. Dr. Shahadat Hossain Siddiquee mentioned that our policymakers have a common tendency to come to a policy conclusion without exploring the causality and answering the ‘why’ behind the policy. Without adequate research and governance no policy will be effective and efficient in its real terms. Stakeholders need to be able to comprehend and justify the reason for any policy that is being implemented for aiming for holistic development. He also portrayed the need to match the skill set of the task force with the economic zone’s activities. Youths’ mental and psychological health should be given priority for engaging them into productive work as well. Equity and Equality concept seems to be ignored while formulation of the social security policies, which need immediate attention. He also mentioned that data deficiency of the informal sector is a prime barrier to streamlining the governance crisis. Ms. Avinno Faruk mentioned about STEM courses and how women don’t encourage other women in the technical sector due to the social norms and stigma associated in the tech industry. A lack of representation for women in tech hinders a woman’s ability to succeed in the industry. It can put limits on their opportunities for mentorship and can lend to fostering “unconscious gender bias in company culture”. Given that only 40% of youth have access to the internet, it is challenging to go fully online in education as well as labor force. Mean years of schooling for females appear to be falling which is also being reflected in the labor market. She concluded by highlighting that transparency and accountability of donor funded skill development funds and programs is highly important in the current context.
On 25 July 2020, LIVE Webinar on Youth & Economic Growth in Bangladesh, by Shongjog was conducted featuring Dr. M. Shahadat Hossain Siddique, Senior Research Fellow and Avinno Faruk, Research Associate from BIGD and Towfiqul Islam Khan, Senior Research Fellow, CPD. Dr. Shahadat Hossain Siddiquee mentioned that our policymakers have a common tendency to come to a policy conclusion without exploring the causality and answering the ‘why’ behind the policy. Without adequate research and governance no policy will be effective and efficient in its real terms. Stakeholders need to be able to comprehend and justify the reason for any policy that is being implemented for aiming for holistic development. He also portrayed the need to match the skill set of the task force with the economic zone’s activities. Youths’ mental and psychological health should be given priority for engaging them into productive work as well. Equity and Equality concept seems to be ignored while formulation of the social security policies, which need immediate attention. He also mentioned that data deficiency of the informal sector is a prime barrier to streamlining the governance crisis. Ms. Avinno Faruk mentioned about STEM courses and how women don’t encourage other women in the technical sector due to the social norms and stigma associated in the tech industry. A lack of representation for women in tech hinders a woman’s ability to succeed in the industry. It can put limits on their opportunities for mentorship and can lend to fostering “unconscious gender bias in company culture”. Given that only 40% of youth have access to the internet, it is challenging to go fully online in education as well as labor force. Mean years of schooling for females appear to be falling which is also being reflected in the labor market. She concluded by highlighting that transparency and accountability of donor funded skill development funds and programs is highly important in the current context.
