Increasing Demand for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in West Africa

This project aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for women and adolescent girls in Francophone West Africa with a particular focus on Cote d’Ivoire Mali and Niger. The project seeks to increase demand for and use of sexual and reproductive health services by increasing knowledge of SRHR among women and adolescent girls and by reducing gender-related barriers to seeking these services by working with men boys and cultural leaders in addition to women and adolescent girls. The project also expands access to quality sexual and reproductive health services including safe abortion and post-abortion care. In addition the project develops and implements a regional strategy to contribute to improved SRHR for women and adolescent girls. Project activities include: (1) training 520 health care workers to provide quality and youth-friendly health services; (2) establishing and deploying eight mobile health units; and (3) conducting events and outreach activities on SRHR including contraception. An estimated 319 573 women and adolescent girls are expected to benefit from services and outreach activities and 115 679 women and adolescent girls are expected to be provided with modern contraception.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased informed demand for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services and gender equality by women adolescent girls men and boys; (2) increased voluntary use of and support for sexual and reproductive health services by women adolescent girls men and boys; and (3) improved coordination among key SRHR stakeholders and delivery of sexual and reproductive health services in Francophone West Africa.