The Population Council established an office in Dakar in 1989 to support activities in Senegal and other francophone countries in West Africa. The Council worked with Senegal’s Ministry of Health to develop norms and standards for reproductive health services and created a model for community-based distribution of family planning that is used by the ministry and partners.
Council research influenced Senegal’s national AIDS program to address underserved populations, including men who have sex with men. Its partnerships have also informed policies and programs to prevent female genital mutilation/cutting and address the reproductive health needs of adolescents.
The Council helped establish the Dakar-based Regional Center for Training and Research in Reproductive Health (CEFOREP), an institution that provides clinical training to health professionals and conducts reproductive health research throughout West Africa.
