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

The series promoted knowledge exchange, highlighted regional experiences and encouraged multi-stakeholder dialogue to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among adolescents, while exploring practical pathways to build a sustainable future for their health and wellbeing.

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, including Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, Aminata Thioye, Dr Nafissatou Jocelyne Diop and Dr Jacques Emina, identified knowledge gaps and discussed how research can strengthen adolescent health, rights and protection. 

Key insights highlighted the demographic urgency facing the region: 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. 

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), through presentations and interventions by Dr Marie Hatem, Dr Nathalie Sawadogo, Dr Jacques Emina and Mrs Phebian Ina Grant Sagnia. Using participatory methods,their projects  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 concluded with a call to bridge research and policy, invest in youth-centred approaches and strengthen cross-sectoral alliances. 

The third and final webinar, “Building a Sustainable Future for the Health and Wellbeing of Adolescents in Central and West Africa,” synthesized insights from the series and foster solution-oriented dialogue among researchers, policymakers, funders and implementers. The final session featuring Mrs Astou Diouf Gueye, Mrs Tracey Hébert-Seck, Mr Bertin Rutega Nkwale, Dr Abdoul-Moumouni Nouhou and Professor Issiaka Sombié focused on actionable recommendations for future programming and investment. Adolescents in West and Central Africa face persistent barriers to sexual and reproductive health—including unsafe abortion, restrictive laws, stigma, and unequal access to care—exacerbated by limited data and the lack of adolescent‑specific services. Addressing these challenges requires multisectoral collaboration, community engagement, digital innovation, and stronger international partnerships, while also trusting and empowering youth, strengthening interconnections among stakeholders, and recognizing adolescents as a distinct group with unique needs to transform evidence into action and improve support for adolescent girls, including survivors of violence.