Youth-led Action in West and Central Africa
Learn more about the exciting work being done across the region
In West and Central Africa (WCA), the adolescent and youth population has been growing steadily over the past years. Currently, 196 million young people (10-24 years old) live in the region; 72%, or 142 million, are adolescent girls and boys (10-19 years old).
In all 25 countries, upward demographic trends for populations under the age of 25 and 35 respectively are not showing any sign of a slow-down in the near future. WCARO prioritizes adolescents and youth as rights holders and agents of change. We then apply a life-course approach to mitigate the cumulative disadvantages experienced through first-to-second decade transitions, as well as second decade-to-youth cohorts. Situated transversally, the vision of Adolescent and Youth section in WCA is a region where all adolescent girls and boys, young men and women are equipped with skills and opportunities to claim and enjoy their rights in safe and enabling environments. The Region equally prioritizes meaningful youth engagement, ensuring that adolescent and youth voices are at the core of its advocacy efforts, and are amplified within national and regional decision-making bodies.