Gambia launches $25M SWEDD+ project to empower women, girls

Signed in 2020, the five-year agreement between the government of The Gambia and the World Bank seeks to improve access to reproductive, maternal, and child health services, reduce early marriage and pregnancy; and promote women’s education and economic autonomy. At its core, the project also supports adolescent development through safe spaces, small grants, and community-based behavioral change strategies.

World Bank Country Representative Franklin Mutahakana described the launch as part of a broader regional movement to transform women’s lives across the Sahel and Central Africa.

“This project ensures access to learning, economic opportunities, and essential health services for girls and women,” he said. “It also strengthens the institutional foundations for gender equality across the region.”

Mutahakana emphasised that the SWEDD+ Project is not limited to national boundaries. “This is a transformative, cross-border initiative backed by ECOWAS, ECCAS, UNFPA, and the West African Health Organization. It reflects a shared commitment to empowering the next generation and driving inclusive development.”

He also highlighted the project’s Social and Behaviour Change Communication Campaign, designed to challenge cultural and social norms that hinder girls’ empowerment. “This campaign cuts across all components of the project, fostering an enabling environment for gender equality through strategic communication and community engagement,” he noted.

Speaking at the launch, Vice President H.E. Muhammed B.S. Jallow praised The Gambia’s inclusion in the project as a “bold and forward-thinking step” that underscores national commitment to gender equality.

“No country can prosper when half its population is held back,” he said. “No society can claim inclusivity when girls are denied education, forced into early marriage, or excluded from decision-making processes. The launch of SWEDD+ Project is not merely a policy move. It is a national declaration that the era of leaving girls behind is over.”

The Vice President announced the creation of safe spaces for adolescent girls, where they will have access to mentorship, psychosocial support, and life-skills education. These safe spaces, he said, will serve as “incubators of confidence, resilience, and ambition.”

He also introduced the Small Grant Scheme; a critical component of the project which targets adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 years from vulnerable households.

The grants will allow them to pursue secondary education or vocational training, acquire marketable skills, and gain economic independence. The finalisation of the Small Grant Operations Manual was celebrated as a key milestone to ensure effective and equitable implementation.

Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Welfare Fatou Kinteh, said the SWEDD+ Project adopts a comprehensive and holistic approach addressing health, education, and economic dimensions of gender empowerment.

“The project targets child marriage prevention, school retention, delayed first pregnancy, and women’s financial autonomy,” minister Kinteh said. “It also supports adolescent clubs for married boys and girls, and provides entrepreneurship opportunities to trained girls in safe spaces, linking empowerment directly to poverty reduction.”

She noted that the project will bolster Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, including improved care for survivors, strengthening policy and legal frameworks, and reinforcing GBV information systems. “Sensitization campaigns will support the adoption of laws and policies promoting gender equality,” she added.

UNFPA Country Representative Ndey Rose Sarr expressed pride in UNFPA’s role in supporting the project’s communications strategy. “We know that meaningful development demands more than projects. It requires changes in attitudes, norms, and behaviors,” she stated.

First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow, who has long championed girls’ education and health, welcomed the project as a reinforcement of ongoing efforts by her office and other national stakeholders.

“Through SWEDD+, we are building a future where every young woman has the tools to realize her full potential free from discrimination and inequality,” she said. “Initiatives like Educating Linda have already demonstrated the importance of supporting underprivileged girls to stay in school.”

The First Lady emphasised that her advocacy has consistently centered on gender equality, health, and education, particularly around issues such as early pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and maternal and child health. “Over the years, we have donated medical items, supported life-saving surgery camps, and partnered with organizations to improve healthcare outcomes,” she said.