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Initiative partnerships

The Sub-Saharan Africa Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) project is an initiative by several countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank is financing the project and is also providing technical assistance. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provides technical support together with regional bodies, in particular the West African Health Organisation (WAHO, which is part of the Economic Community of West African States – ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the African Union (AU).

This technical support helps governments build capacity, train qualified staff and ensure the safety of quality healthcare products. It also promotes the development and implementation of policies linked to the demographic dividend.

Institutional arrangements

SWEDD countries are responsible for the design, implementation and supervision of their projects. The World Bank provides both funding for SWEDD and technical assistance to build the capacity of countries in their efforts to empower girls and women.

A National Steering Committee (NSC) and a Project Coordination Unit have been set up at national level to manage the project's activities. These ministries are responsible for coordinating the implementation of various components by the technical ministries, thereby promoting multi-sectoral cooperation in the country. The NSC supervises the coordination unit, which will operate as an "umbrella" entity, responsible for managing the implementation of various components by technical ministries. This coordination unit comprises a coordinator, a programme manager, a procurement manager, a monitoring and evaluation manager and an administrative and financial manager.

At regional level, the UNFPA Regional Office for West and Central Africa hosts the Regional Technical Secretariat on behalf of the Regional Steering Committee (RSC). The Regional Technical Secretariat provides technical assistance to countries in implementing the various components of the project. The RSC Secretariat is headed by the Coordinator of the initiative's Regional Technical Secretariat.

The World Bank Group (WB) is pursuing two ambitious goals: to end extreme poverty within a generation and to promote shared prosperity. The WB is an essential source of financial and technical support for developing countries around the world.

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The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) implements projects favouring a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA increases opportunities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives.  

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The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) is an institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in charge of health issues. WAHO harmonises member state policies and promotes the pooling of resources and cooperation between these states and third countries in order to respond strategically to the health problems of the sub-region.

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The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is an economic community of the African Union for the promotion of regional economic cooperation in Central Africa. It aims "to achieve collective self-reliance, to raise the standard of living of the people and to maintain economic stability through harmonious cooperation".  

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The African Union (AU) is a continental organisation to which the 55 member states that make up the African continent belong. The vision of the AU is that of "an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force on the international stage".

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