City Bank and UNFPA partner to empower girls and women
UNFPA and City Bank announced the launch of a partnership today (16 September) through the Komlaphul Pharmacy Initiative to train young women as pharmacy associates across Bangladesh. This marks the first collaboration between UNFPA and City Bank, advancing women's empowerment and improving access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in underserved communities.
At a signing ceremony held in Dhaka, Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh, and Mashrur Arefin, Managing Director and CEO of City Bank, formalised the partnership. Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Managing Director and CFO; Mahia Juned, Additional Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer; Shahriar Jamil Khan, Head of Brand and Marketing of City Bank; Vibhavendra Singh Raghuvanshi, Chief of Health; Gulalek Soltanova, Communications Specialist; Md. Azmal Hossain, Programme Analyst–Urban Health of UNFPA, along with other senior officials of both organisations, were present at the ceremony.
The initiative builds on UNFPA's successful pilot Komlaphul Pharmacy intervention with the relevant directorates of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which demonstrated that female pharmacists and associates are more trusted by women and girls, provide better counselling on SRH issues, and help expand access to essential services. Building on this success, City Bank is scaling up the project to create employment for women, foster inclusivity, reach marginalised populations, and ensure lasting community impact through improved access to SRH.
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"This partnership with City Bank is a powerful example of how the private sector can play a transformative role in empowering women while expanding access to essential sexual and reproductive health services. By investing in young women as pharmacy associates, we are investing in healthier families, stronger communities and a more equitable society in Bangladesh," said Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh.
Mashrur Arefin, Managing Director and CEO of City Bank, said, "At City Bank, we believe financial inclusion must go hand in hand with social inclusion. This initiative with UNFPA is not just about training young women for jobs, but about creating pathways for dignity, independence and leadership in their communities. By supporting women to become pharmacy associates, we are helping them transform both their own lives and the lives of countless others through improved access to healthcare and trusted counselling. This is aligned with our vision of building a more inclusive and sustainable Bangladesh."
