New evidence on gender and adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights in West and Central Africa

The West and Central Africa region is home to 500 million people, with 64% of the population being under 25 years of age. It is projected that the region’s youth population (15-24 years) will double by 2050.

While many governments are now turning their attention to the needs of this population, fragile health systems, persistent gender inequalities and the prolonged and increasing conflicts in the region, coupled with other persistent challenges such as weak education systems and climate change, are impeding the economic development and wellbeing of youth. Against this background, national responses to the sexual and reproductive health needs of youth remain particularly weak.

A recent special issue of the African Journal of Reproductive Health on the complex intersection of gender and adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health in West and Central Africa highlights new evidence and the need for urgent action to address the region’s high rates of teenage pregnancy, child marriage and limited access to sexual education and essential health services.

This special issue contributes significantly to narrowing the knowledge gaps on social and structural determinants of adolescent health in West and Central Africa. It includes a wide range of relevant and timely topics, ranging from the role of social norms, positive masculinity and gender-based violence, to the barriers faced by adolescents in accessing comprehensive reproductive health education and services.

It also highlights locally driven and community-based interventions that aim to empower adolescents, especially girls, by providing knowledge and resources needed to make informed decisions about their health. The articles also emphasize the role of decision-makers, health-care providers, families, and religious and traditional leaders in co-producing and implementing culturally accepted reproductive health interventions.

In an article entitled Gender and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights in West and Central Africa: New evidence and emerging gaps, the authors, including Marie-Gloriose Ingabire, IDRC’s regional director for West and Central Africa, highlight the need to invest in generating a strong evidence base to guide policy and programmatic efforts to promote adolescent health and wellbeing. This would also support the region’s youth to thrive and transition into healthy, productive adults. The article indicates knowledge gaps that urgently require filling and underscores the importance of increased research funding, the necessity for strengthened research capacity, and the usefulness of a coherent research agenda on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights issues in West and Central Africa.

The special issue is accessible here.