The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) launched the webinar series “Thriving in Safety: Advancing Adolescent Health and Rights and Ending Gender-Based Violence in Central and West Africa” to strengthen adolescent health and rights, marking the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action. The series aimed to foster knowledge exchange, highlight regional experiences, and encourage multi-stakeholder dialogue to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among adolescents while identifying practical pathways to build a sustainable future for their health and wellbeing.
The first webinar, “A Regional Overview: Evidence, Challenges and Opportunities,” examined the policy and program landscape surrounding adolescent SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV). Grassroots leaders, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, including Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, Aminata Thioye, Dr. Nafissatou Jocelyne Diop, and Dr. Jacques Emina, discussed knowledge gaps and the role of research in strengthening adolescent health, rights, and protection. Participants highlighted the demographic urgency in Central and West Africa, where adolescents make up nearly 25% of the population. Adolescent girls face high rates of child marriage, early pregnancy, female genital mutilation, and sexual violence, while policy frameworks remain absent, lagging, or inconsistently enforced in many countries. Panelists emphasized adolescent participation in policymaking and called for inclusive SRHR services, particularly for marginalized youth, while identifying the lack of disaggregated data as a major barrier to targeted interventions. Socio-economic factors such as conflict, urbanization, and economic instability were noted to further amplify vulnerabilities. Recommendations included comprehensive sexuality education, stronger evidence-based policies, integration of GBV and SRHR into national strategies, and increased research to support policy development and implementation.
The second webinar, “Transformative Research on Adolescent Health and Rights: Best Practices and Lessons Learned,” explored how transformative and action research can drive structural change. It highlighted IDRC-supported projects in The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi, including work by the International Center for Advanced Research and Training and the Panzi Foundation. Presenters, including Dr. Marie Hatem, Dr. Nathalie Sawadogo, Dr. Jacques Emina, and Mrs. Phebian Ina Grant Sagnia, shared how participatory research methods are being used to integrate health education, address mental health, and design adolescent-centered SRHR services. The discussion underscored the importance of inclusive, multidisciplinary approaches while noting challenges such as social taboos, political resistance, and limited data. The webinar concluded with a call to bridge research and policy, invest in youth-centered approaches, and strengthen cross-sectoral alliances to ensure sustainable improvements in adolescent health and rights across the region.
