Special Awareness Campaign for Adolescent Health and Safety Starts in Cox’s Bazar

COX’S BAZAR, September 1, 2026: JAAGO Foundation Trust has launched a three-day awareness campaign to ensure health, protection, and legal support services for school-going adolescents in the coastal region of Cox’s Bazar. Supported technically and financially by UNICEF under the Shopner Sharothi Seashore Girls Project, the campaign began on 30 August and will run through 1 September 2026.

The campaign started at Abul Kasem High School and will continue at Kurulia High School and Khurushkul High School. Through three-hour sessions conducted daily from 100 PM to 400 PM, a total of 750 students across the three schools are receiving detailed information on safety, rights, and emergency helpline services.

Organizers noted that many adolescents in coastal areas are deprived of timely support due to a lack of necessary information. This gap covers critical areas such as health, education, employment, vocational training, and legal support. To address this information gap, the sessions highlight Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention, Safeguarding, access to youth-friendly services provided by government and non-government organizations, and a special Service Directory.

Amjad Hossain, Project Manager of the Shopner Sharothi Seashore Girls Project, emphasized the initiative’s impact “The true value of the service mapping will be realised when adolescents and young people are able to use the information in their everyday lives and when support is needed.”

Students are being briefed on referral pathways and the use of national emergency helplines, including 999 (National Emergency Service), 109 (Violence Against Women and Children Helpline), and 1098 (Child Helpline). To keep engagement high beyond discussion, interactive activities such as a child protection themed art competition, quizzes, and open Q&A sessions are being organized.

Nur Mohammed, Head Teacher of Abul Kasem High School, shared his perspective “It is not enough for students to know that services exist; they also need to understand where to seek support, how to access those services and what their rights are. Initiatives like this can strengthen students’ awareness while helping them become more confident, responsible and better prepared to stay safe.”

According to the organizers, this awareness initiative will help students understand their rights and available services. It will build their confidence to seek help without hesitation and establish an effective connection between schools and local service providers.

Expressing her feedback, Asfika Islam, a Class 10 student at Abul Kasem High School, said Many of us do not know where to seek help when we face a problem. Through this session, I learned more clearly about helplines, available services and our rights. I now feel more confident that I can seek the right support when needed and also guide others towards the appropriate services.

The Shopner Sharothi Seashore Girls Project empowers adolescent girls in coastal areas by ensuring access to education, life skills, and protection services. The Service Directory developed under this project assists students in acquiring reliable information and guidance at both national and local levels.
-Press Release