What is the Sahel Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) project?
Launched in November 2015 with financial support from the World Bank, technical support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the SWEDD project aims to accelerate the demographic transition, trigger the demographic dividend, and reduce gender inequalities in the Sahel region.
This involves (i) creating demand for reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and nutritional health (RMNCH) products and services by promoting social and behavioural change, including the abandonment of socio-cultural practices harmful to the fulfillment of adolescent girls' potential, and the empowerment of women and girls; and (ii) strengthening regional capacities.
The objective is to improve the supply of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and nutritional health commodities and skilled personnel, and to strengthen the project's high-level advocacy and capacity for policy development and project implementation.
On 28 June 2020, the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank granted additional financing of 376 million dollars to support the implementation of Phase 2 of the SWEDD project. This funding brings the World Bank's overall support to 680 million dollars to strengthen human capital and drive development in African countries through women's empowerment.
The SWEDD project covers nine countries in West and Central Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.
The Gambia, Togo, Congo, and Senegal joined in 2023.
A multimedia and community campaign to support SWEDD countries in their response to COVID-19
The media campaign raises awareness of the importance of access to water and sanitation, menstrual hygiene, and the positive role of men in the fight against GBV (early marriage and pregnancy, female genital mutilation). It focuses on access to distance learning for girls and teenagers, and the importance of getting them back into school and respecting their rights and dignity.
The song LE CRI DU SILENCE, performed by 11 African artists: Zeynab Habib (Benin), Alif Naaba (Burkina Faso), Daphné (Cameroon), Serge Beynaud (Côte D'ivoire), Manamba Kanté (Guinea Conakry), Mouna Mint Dendeni (Mauritania), Binta Torodo (Niger), Fatoumata Diawara (Mali), Sidiki Diabaté (Mali), Coumba Gawlo (Senegal), and Mounira Mitchala (Chad) raises awareness of the urgent need to curb acts of violence against women and girls in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
The campaign targets Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal - and is being led in collaboration with the Partners: SWEDD National Coordinators, Ministries of Health, Promundo, Population Council, CHMP, and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.
Hawa Fall, 15 ans. Elève de 4ème au Collège de Jeunes Filles de Kiffa.
"My mother supports me in my studies. I'm happy not to be forced into a marriage that I don't want. I don't want to get married now, not before I'm 20. I want to continue my studies and become a midwife. It's important to study to succeed in life. Success means following your dreams.”
Cheik Ould Zein Limam
"I see Islam as a religion of peace and human rights, and that's why I'm trying to remove the ambiguity between customs and Islam. It is my belief and conviction that many things that are done in the name of Islam are against Islam, and that is why I work with my writings - with my fatwas - to remove the ambiguity between customs and misunderstandings of Islam in our lives. As a religious leader, we have a duty to our people, to our followers. We have to show the right conception of what Islam stands against, such as FGM and slavery. We believe that Islam is a religion of tolerance. When we see innocent people being kidnapped in the name of Islam, it means that Islam itself is being kidnapped. Islam is misunderstood by Muslims, so the duty of imams is to teach their followers good practices".
Millions of people in the Sahel do not have the means to wash their hands at home or have clean toilets and hand-washing facilities at school. With schools and community centres closed as safe spaces, managing their menstrual hygiene is difficult.
The project installs hand-washing facilities and distributes dignity kits reinforced with sanitary protection and personal protective equipment. The overall campaign includes community-based awareness-raising activities and the distribution of services and products.
These include information kits, personal protective equipment, hydro-alcoholic gels, hand-washing equipment, dignity kits, hygiene kits and reproductive health products such as modern contraceptive methods (MCM), as well as capacity-building for key community players.
Schooling for girls: continuity of education services, safe spaces through distance learning and the importance of returning to school
The COVID-19 crisis affects everyone, but adolescent girls deserve special attention. From the age of 12, girls are at risk of dropping out of school and not reaching their full potential. Nearly 12 million girls are temporarily out of school in the sub-region. Their return to school is crucial if we are to change society. The project supports girls to access online courses, and provides school kits, food and scholarships to help them stay in school.
With an estimated population of 920 million in 2014, the Sahel is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, with women and young people under the age of 15 accounting for more than half the population. This demographic weight is slowing down the progress made in recent years (growth rate, decline in infant mortality and increase in school enrolment rates) and is preventing Sahelian countries from translating these efforts into sustained economic growth and improved living conditions for their populations.
Lutte contre les violences et l’implication des hommes dans la prévention des violences basées sur le genre et l'intégration des textes de loi
13,5 millions de filles étaient déjà à risque de violence basée sur le genre, de mariages et grossesses précoces, de déscolarisation avant le COVID-19 dans les pays SWEDD. Nous savons que la COVID-19 augmente les risques de violence envers les femmes et les filles. Le projet établit des clubs de maris et des futurs maris qui favorisent la prévention de la violence pour une masculinité positive et responsable.
CONTINUITÉ DE L'ÉDUCATION
GABAR a réuni les hommes du quartier au « club des maris » afin d’aborder la situation des jeunes filles depuis la fermeture provisoire des écoles et des espaces surs. Une amie de sa fille risque d’être mariée précocement. Ses parents ont peur que cette situation d’école fermée, la pousse à fréquenter les garçons, de tomber enceinte et donc de souiller leur honneur...
CONTINUITÉ DES SERVICES DE SANTÉ DE LA REPRODUCTION ET ACCÈS A LA GESTION DE L’HYGIÈNE MENSTRUELLE
ALYA est inquiète et se confie à MIMILA, sa mère. Depuis la crise du coronavirus, les centres communautaires qui distribuent les kits d’hygiènes ont fermé et interrompu leurs programmes...
Ecoutez-la suite ci-dessous.
Credits photos : Javier Acebal/Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Vincent Tremeau/Banque mondiale, Ollivier Girard, Ania Gruca, Celine Adotevi/UNFPA.
