The Sahel Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) project recently hosted a regional workshop aimed at reinforcing programmes that target harmful social norms and address gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). This initiative brought together key actors from various regions to build national capacities and strengthen gender-transformative interventions.

The SWEDD project is financed by the World Bank with technical assistance provided by UNFPA. 12 countries are part of the SWEDD and SWEDD+ projects.

Participants gained deep insights into the dynamics of harmful social norms and GBV, improving their technical skills in designing, monitoring, and evaluating transformative gender programmes. The workshop also fostered collaboration and knowledge-sharing, reinforcing the SWEDD platform for South-South cooperation.

Key outcomes include:

• Enhanced understanding of social norms theory and practical guidance for integrating gender-transformative approaches into community-based interventions.
• Strengthened capacity to incorporate human rights principles in addressing GBV and harmful practices.
• Development of cross-sectoral strategies linking gender norm transformation to broader social, sexual, and reproductive health services.

The event marks a critical step forward in advancing the SWEDD project’s mission to empower women and girls and create a safer, more equitable future across the Sahel.