At a time when the international community is poised and hopeful about the transition from the millennium development goals to achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030, Africa must address a fundamental question on how to bring significant and sustainable improvements to people’s lives with the current prospects for population growth.

If we are to achieve this, faith-based organizations and leaders must play a crucial role. They are key role models and opinion leaders. They influence the way their communities engage with and decide on issues. They also influence how well these communities accept health services.

Joining hands with UNFPA, the Government of Senegal, currently the ECOWAS Chair country, organised a consultative meeting with faith-based organisations and leaders to involve them in improving the lives of women and youth people via empowerment, access to health services, education, training and employment in the context of the demographic dividend (DD). The Dakar consultative meeting strong commitment from leaders and organisations, ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania to improve the lives of women and youth by empowering them and giving them better access to health services, education, training and employment.