THE Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched the Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus (SWEDD+) project, a $365 million World Bank-funded initiative aimed at transforming the lives of women and girls in the region.
The programme, unveiled in Abuja on Monday, targets gender equality, healthcare, and economic empowerment in five countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, The Gambia, Senegal, and Togo.
A ‘game-changer’ for women in Africa
ECOWAS Vice-President Madam Damtien Tchintchibidja described the project as a ‘game-changer’ for tackling gender disparities and unlocking the untapped potential of women and girls.
‘This project represents a significant milestone in our collective efforts to unlock the full potential of women and girls in our region. Women and girls are the backbone of our societies, and their empowerment is crucial to achieving sustainable development, economic growth, and social progress,’ Tchintchibidja stated.
Funded by the World Bank, SWEDD+ aligns with Africa’s broader development goals and builds on the successes of previous programmes that positively impacted over two million women and girls over the past decade.
Focus on health and workforce training
Highlighting the health component of SWEDD+, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammed Pate, announced the training of over 120,000 frontline health workers to enhance reproductive health services and family planning programmes.
‘The ministry is enhancing population health outcomes, expanding workforce capacity, and improving access to reproductive health services,’ Pate, represented by Kamil Shoretire, said.
He emphasised that investing in youth is critical to unlocking Africa’s demographic dividend and driving sustainable development.
Building on previous successes
The SWEDD+ project builds on earlier successes of the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend project, which significantly improved access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities for women and girls across Africa.
Pate described SWEDD+ as a ‘timely intervention’, aligning with regional efforts to harness Africa’s growing youth population for economic and social progress.
‘As we address our demographic dividend, investing in young women and girls will not only improve lives but also strengthen our economic future,’ Pate concluded.
With SWEDD+, ECOWAS aims to transform gender equality across Sub-Saharan Africa, ensuring women and girls have the tools they need to lead healthier, more empowered lives.
