Strengthening Local Youth- and Women-Led Organizations to Become Key Actors in Promoting SRHR and Improving the Management and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in West Africa

Our partner YWLOs are critical to the achievements of this program. Through this program, we are building an equitable partnership academy for local YWLOS. We are supporting the development and implementation of mechanisms for accountability within partner organizations and encouraging the exchange of learnings, documentation, and best practices across the region. In Benin, we are working to reduce the stigma related to abortion and improve access to safe abortion services and information. Key interventions of the program include recruiting new youth-led organizations (YLOs) in all supported countries; conducting country-specific organizational diagnostic workshops for new organizations and updating those of existing organizations; providing support to implement the organizational plan resulting from the diagnostic workshops; supplying technical and financial support for organizations to improve service provision, including coaching and mentoring for the new organizations; organizing initial training (related to SRHR, GBV, advocacy, etc.) for members of new organizations; and developing workshops to co-create a work plan focused on creating demand for self-managed care.

EngenderHealth aims to improve equitable partnerships with and meaningful participation of YWLOs to increase access to SRHR and GBV information and services. The driving principles of our partnership approach make this program unique. By partnering with YWLOs already working in the region and continuously learning through those partnerships, we can remain flexible to needs as they arise and gather lessons for future work throughout this program and others. Additionally, by focusing on partnership we can encourage coordination and strengthen collaboration among organizations across West Africa.