Experts push for meaningful inclusion of youths with disabilities and youths affected by leprosy in rural development

Bangladesh must urgently place young people with disabilities and youths affected by leprosy at the centre of its rural development agenda to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.

This was the core message from government officials, development experts, and civil society leaders at a high-level roundtable in Dhaka, who noted that despite strong laws and national commitments, systemic gaps, social stigma, and weak service delivery continue to exclude many youths with disabilities from development processes.