The Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) regional initiative, the result of a joint response by the United Nations and the World Bank Group, is a response to a call made by the presidents of the six Sahel countries, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. The overall goal of the project is to accelerate the demographic transition, to spur the demographic dividend, and to reduce gender inequality in the Sahel region. Since its official launch in November 2015, the initiative has grown and is proceeding rapidly.

The interventions proposed by the initiative are structured around three primary components: Generate demand for reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health, and nutrition (RMNCHN) services by promoting social and behavioral change and the empowerment of women and adolescent girls; Reinforce the regional availability of RMNCHN commodities and qualified health workers; and Reinforce advocacy and dialogue at high levels and promote policy development and the project’s implementation.