On Thursday, May 10, in Paris, Equipop signed a four-year operator agreement with the West African Health Organization (WAHO) worth €682,774.
The agreement was signed as part of the implementation of the DEMSAN Regional Project on "demography and sexual and reproductive health." This project, funded by AFD, aims to accelerate demographic transition in eligible French-speaking ECOWAS countries (Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali). This overall objective is broken down into three complementary areas: "strengthening the role and missions of WAHO in steering and managing knowledge on demographic trends and sexual and reproductive health status; strengthening the capacities of member states to develop and implement policies and strategies in favor of sexual and reproductive health and rights; and strengthening political advocacy in favor of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and promoting the emergence, voice, and initiatives of civil society in these areas." It is in this third area that Equipop will provide support to WAHO.
Drawing on its widely recognized experience and expertise in supporting local civil society, Equipop will provide technical support to associations benefiting from the DEMSAN fund in drafting social and political mobilization projects, monitoring and capitalizing on experiences, and managing grants administratively.
The conclusion of this agreement reinforces one of Equipop's key strategic priorities: the development of African civil society. It also marks an important milestone for the NGO, which is thus affirming its sub-regional dimension. Finally, Equipop is consolidating its relationship with OOAS. The two organizations had already signed a cooperation agreement earlier this year, based on a shared vision of health development, particularly sexual and reproductive health, and on the need to intensify collaboration in this area. The agreement signed on May 10 puts this agreement into operation.
-EQUIPOP Equilibres & Populations is an international solidarity organization created by doctors and journalists in 1993, in the context of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. Equilibres & Populations works to improve the status and living conditions of women, which is a lever for fair and sustainable human development. Drawing on its specific expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights, Equipop has gradually expanded its project to complementary fields of action (governance, education, economics) and systematically includes a gender-based approach.
Equipop's work is threefold: -Driving change through innovative projects that are closely aligned with local communities -Mobilizing decision-makers and citizens to create a favorable institutional and societal environment, -Developing the capacities of development actors, particularly local civil society organizations.
Press contact: Nathalie Perrotin – Equilibres & Populations – nathalie.perrotin@equipop.org – +33 (0)1 85 08 05 19
Notes to editors: -EQUIPOP Equilibres & Populations is an international solidarity organization created by doctors and journalists in 1993, in the context of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. Equilibres & Populations works to improve the status and living conditions of women, as a lever for fair and sustainable human development. Drawing on its specific expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights, Equipop has gradually expanded its project to complementary fields of action (governance, education, economics) and systematically includes a gender-based approach.
-WAHO The West African Health Organization was established in 1987 by the Heads of State and Government of all fifteen ECOWAS countries. It has the status of a Specialized Agency of ECOWAS. Its mission is to provide the highest level of health care to the populations of the subregion through the harmonization of Member States' policies, the pooling of resources, and cooperation between Member States and third countries, with a view to collectively and strategically finding solutions to the health problems of the subregion.
