Translating evidence into impact: Enhancing health in Francophone West Africa and the Sahel

Francophone West Africa (FWA) is a diverse subregion known for its strong national identities and regional collaboration. With high maternal and child death rates and low contraceptive prevalence compared to other parts of West Africa, Francophone countries have worked together to pursue common health and development goals, such as enhancing access to family planning/reproductive health; meeting the health, education, and employment needs of a growing population of young people; and addressing challenges such as climate change and conflict. Over the past three decades, the Population Council has worked to advance subnational, national, and regional efforts to improve health and promote evidence-based policies across FWA. This brief highlights the Council’s work in FWA and the Sahel, which has included research activities, technical assistance, and collaborations across 11 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo