UNFPA
FR EN
Go Back Go Back
Home
DonateDonate
Go Back Go Back
What we do
DonateDonate
Go Back Go Back
Where we work
DonateDonate
Go Back Go Back
Humanitarian Response
DonateDonate
Go Back Go Back
Data
DonateDonate
DonateDonate
Language: FR EN

Overview

Overview

Overview

Based in Dakar, Senegal, UNFPA’s West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) covers 23 countries - 14 Francophone (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo – Brazzaville, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo); 5 Anglophone (The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone); 3 Lusophone (Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome & Principe); and 1 Hispanophone (Equatorial Guinea).

Set up in January 2013, the Regional Office provides an essential link between UNFPA’s New York headquarters and the 23 Country Offices in West and Central Africa.

Dr. Natalia Kanem, Directrice Exécutive de l'UNFPA
Executive Director of UNFPA,
Dr. Natalia Kanem

Using a new business model to ensure enhanced backstopping to our Country Offices, we work to support their initiatives providing technical assistance and capacity development. We gather and analyse result-based evidence, data and key lessons on successful practices from the field to inform decision-making on the design, resourcing and delivery of each programme.

WCARO contributes to enhanced accountability on UNFPA interventions in the region by supporting the conduct of independent and regular evaluations of our country programmes.

The Regional Office plays a key role in advocating for the fulfillment of UNFPA mandate and values. We engage national governments in the implementation of the ICPD beyond 2014 framework of action along with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Dialoguing and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, WCARO has been consolidating its catalytic position in the region by promoting transformational partnerships and forming alliances with international organizations, regional institutions and economic commissions, civil society, faith-based organisations and the private sector.

There are many challenges to be faced - beliefs and attitudes are deeply entrenched and existing education and health systems do not have the capacity to provide the required services. But such challenges can be overcome by focusing on harnessing the benefits of Demographic Dividend and realizing sustainable development with strong partnerships, impactful programmes, adequate resources, good communication, high level advocacy and policy dialogue alongside a commitment to common goals.

Key Results

National plan for sexual and reproductive health

2 countries have developed a costed, integrated national plan for sexual and reproductive health, prioritizing access for key groups

Sexual and reproductive health in risk pooling schemes

1 country has integrated sexual and reproductive health services into risk pooling schemes

Sexual and reproductive health in emergency preparedness plans

2 have integrated sexual and reproductive health into emergency preparedness plans

Emergency obstetric and newborn care

8 met coverage for emergency obstetric and newborn care

Adolescent-friendly Sexual and reproductive health services

5 countries have provided quality assured adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services

Health services for sexual violence survivors

4 countries have provided essential health services for survivors of sexual violence

Cervical cancer screening services

1 country has offered cervical cancer screening services

Sexual and reproductive health/HIV index

5 countries have applied the sexual and reproductive health/HIV integration index

Midwifery curricula: international standards

6 countries have implemented midwifery school curricula based on international standards

Midwifery curricula: inclusion of special needs

4 countries have included needs of persons with disabilities in midwife curricula

Adolescent health competencies

1 included adolescent health competencies in curricula of health professionals

Discrimination prevention in health curricula

3 countries have included prevention of stigma and discrimination in curricula of health professionals

Supply chain management strategy

3 countries have a costed supply chain management strategy that includes UNFPA/WHO recommendations on rights-based contraceptive delivery

Logistics management information system

4 countries have used a logistics management information system for forecasting and monitoring sexual and reproductive health commodities

Sexual and reproductive health indicators available

9 countries have periodically collected sexual and reproductive health indicators, and made them publically available

Patient satisfaction surveys

7 countries have conducted routine patient satisfaction surveys on provision of sexual and reproductive health services

Maternal death notification

3 countries have been notified of at least 25 per cent of maternal deaths

School-based comprehensive sexuality education

3 countries have operationalized comprehensive sexuality education curricula in accordance with international standards

Out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education

2 countries have a mechanism or strategy to deliver out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education

Integration of sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth into strategies of sectors apart from health sector

1 country has integrated sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth into strategies of sectors apart from health sector

Youth participation in policy and programmes

1 country has developed mechanisms for young people's participation in policy, programming, and peacebuilding

Reproductive rights, laws and policies

4 countries have strategies to align laws, policies and regulations on reproductive rights

Men and boys

1 country has a national mechanism to engage men and boys in policies and programmes to advance gender equality and reproductive rights

Rights of marginalized groups

3 countries have rolled out intervention models or strategies that empower marginalized and excluded groups to exercise their reproductive rights

Multi-sector platforms

1 country has established platforms for dialogue on reproductive rights, fully engaging civil society, including faith-based and state actors

Social norm mapping

1 country has completed social norm mapping based on UNFPA social norm framework

Social norms change programmes

1 country has utilized UNFPA manual on social norms and change

Gender-based violence platform

3 countries have a national mechanism to engage multiple stakeholders to prevent and address gender-based violence

Data on gender-based violence

3 countries have national systems to collect and disseminate data on the incidence of gender-based violence

Gender-based violence in emergencies

1 country has applied at least 15 of the 18 minimum standards for the prevention of and response to gender-based violence in emergencies

National plans against harmful practices

2 countries have developed a costed national action plan to address harmful practices

Vital statistics

2 countries have generated and published annual vital statistics based on civil registration

Population projections

3 countries have generated publically available population projections at national and subnational levels, disaggregated by age, sex, and location

Small area estimations

1 country has generated and used small area estimations of sexual and reproductive health indicators for programme planning

What we do

UNFPA works in more than 150 countries and territories that are home to the vast majority of the world’s people. Its mission: to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

Read more
UNFPA in CO
Regional Director

Regional Director

Sennen Hounton

Twitter

A medical doctor by training, Mr. Hounton brings more than 20 years’ experience in strategic foresight, leadership and management at country, regional and global levels in demographic dividend, resilient health systems, and prevention of conflicts.  With a strong humanitarian and development background, Mr Hounton is an expert of the West and Central Africa region where he has demonstrated his ability to navigate the socio-political complexities of multiple and intersecting crises, as well as advocating for the centrality of populations and girls’ human capital for the Sustainable Development Goals. He has a strong record of forging broad-based partnerships that deliver results for women, girls and young people.
Read more