The ECOWAS Commission has launched the second phase of the Regional Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment Demographic Dividend Plus Project (SWEDD+), to accelerate progress in empowering women and girls Across Sub-Saharan Africa
The 365 million US Dollar project launch which took place in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, is funded by the World Bank , with technical support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Initially, the programme implementation’s targeted five countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, the Gambia, Senegal, and Togo, and currently the scope includes nine (9) West and Central African countries, namely Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad, while engaging regional institutions such as ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS..
While highlighting on the importance of the initiative, the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Damtien Tchintchibidja, said the project aims to address gender inequality and foster the economic and social empowerment of women and girls across the region.
“SWEDD+ is a call to action for countries to invest in reducing the vulnerabilities of adolescent girls and young women, enabling them to become active contributors to the economic and social development of their nations.The program will expand interventions that have already made significant impacts in Education with over 1 million girls have stayed in school, supported by scholarships, meals, and transportation.”
She also stressed that:
” Women are the backbone of our society, and for that reason, their empowerment is crucial in achieving sustainable development, economic growth, and social progress. the demographic dividend offers a unique opportunity for our nation to harness the energy, creativity, and the capabilities of our young people, particularly our women. By investing in their education, health, and economic empowerment, we can create a virtuous cycle of growth, prosperity, and social cohesion. These projects have definitely enabled us to reinforce capacities within our region, and we are definitely grateful for that”.
On Economic Empowerment, through the project, that more than 150,000 young women have gained access to job opportunities and skills training.
Over 8,000 safe spaces and 5,000 male engagement clubs have fostered gender equality and tackled harmful norms.
On Healthcare: Over 1 million new contraceptive users have been supported, with stock-out rates at health facilities reduced to 24%.
Tchintchibidja, further explained that the new phase of the programme introduces three transformative components:
“Gender-transformative Interventions: Promoting education, skills-building, and economic opportunities for women and girls, Strengthened Health Services: Expanding access to reproductive, maternal, and adolescent health services and training more healthcare workers and Policy Advocacy: Strengthening institutional capacity for gender-sensitive policies and combating gender-based violence”, she explained
Also speaking, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, represented by the Director Health Planning Research and Statistics Dr. Kamil Shoretire, commended the ECOWAS for holding in Nigeria, noting that the move underscores Nigeria’s commitment in promoting women and girls empowerment.
“While Nigeria is not yet among the implementing countries for this program, I commend the organizers for choosing our country as the venue for this important launch. This decision underscores Nigeria’s meaningful role in driving the demographic deepening agenda across Africa. The SWEDD Plus program, which focuses on enhancing girls and young women’s access to education, economic opportunities, and health services, is a commendable initiative that aligns perfectly with our shared commitment to empowering our young women and girls. Empowering young girls and young women is pivotal in addressing professional groups and ensuring that they can accurately plan for the future of our continent. In Nigeria, we are actively working to address our demographic deepening by investing in our youth., several initiatives have been launched to maximize the potential of our youth population for economic and social development”. He said
On her part, Chad’s Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance, in charge of the Economy and Planning, Madame Fatima Haram , said the project has helped in the training of thousands of girls in community health.
It has helped in the reduction of maternal and child death.
The event, attended by key stakeholders including ministers, development partners, and regional leaders, also served as a platform to assess SWEDD’s achievements and outline the roadmap for SWEDD+ implementation.
With SWEDD+ project symbolizes a renewed commitment to empowering women and girls, fostering their active participation in development, and paving the way for sustainable growth across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Hauwa M.
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