Building a sustainable future for the health and wellbeing of adolescents in Central and West Africa

To mark the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action in 2024, IDRC launched a series of webinars focusing on the intersection between gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Central and West Africa. The series promotes knowledge exchange, showcases regional experiences and fosters dialogue on effective multi-stakeholder engagement to advance adolescent SRHR. 

The first webinar, “A Regional Overview: Evidence, Challenges and Opportunities,” explored the policy and program landscape surrounding adolescent SRHR and GBV. Grassroots leaders, researchers, policymakers and practitioners identified knowledge gaps and discussed how research can strengthen adolescent health, rights and protection. 

Key insights highlight the urgency: adolescents make up nearly 25% of the population in Central and West Africa and adolescent girls face high rates of child marriage, adolescent pregnancy, female genital mutilation and sexual violence. Policy frameworks are absent or lagging in many countries, and enforcement remains inconsistent in those countries that have adopted legal frameworks to address these issues. Panelists emphasized the importance of adolescent participation in policymaking and called for inclusive, respectful SRHR services, especially for marginalized youth. The lack of disaggregated data was identified as a major barrier to targeted interventions. Broader socio-economic factors such as conflict, urbanization and economic instability further amplify vulnerabilities. As a way forward, participants recommended comprehensive sexuality education, stronger evidence-based policies, integrating GBV and SRHR into national strategies, and more research to support policy development and implementation. A bilingual recording of the webinar is also available in English and French. 

The second webinar, “Transformative Research on Adolescent Health and Rights: Best Practices and Lessons Learned,” examined how transformative and action research can catalyze structural change. It showcased IDRC-supported projects in The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi (including work by the International Center for Advanced Research and Training and the Panzi foundation). Using participatory methods, these projects studied how to integrate health education, address mental health and design adolescent-centered SRHR services. Presenters stressed the importance of inclusive, multidisciplinary approaches in research and programs while noting persistent challenges such as social taboos, political resistance and limited data. The session ended with a call to bridge research and policy, invest in youth-centred approaches and strengthen cross-sectoral alliances. A bilingual recording is also available in English and French. 

The third and final webinar, “Building a Sustainable Future for the Health and Wellbeing of Adolescents in Central and West Africa,” will synthesize insights from the series and foster solution-oriented dialogue among researchers, policymakers, funders and implementers. The 13 November session will focus on actionable recommendations for future programming and investment and will be available in English and French with simultaneous interpretation.