When Maimuna, a midwife in rural Gambia, speaks about her work today, she does so with confidence earned through practice and training. Thanks to UNFPA’s competency-based midwifery training, she can now identify and treat post-partum haemorrhage — the leading cause of maternal death in The Gambia — intervening quickly to save women’s lives where minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

Maimuna’s experience captures the impact behind the statistics, and it set the tone for the first official visit of the UNFPA Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Sennen Hounton, to The Gambia. The mission bridged frontline health care, national policy and long-term systems building, highlighting how targeted investments are strengthening outcomes for women, girls and young people.

Leadership at the Highest Level
At State House, the Regional Director was received by H.E. Adama Barrow, where discussions focused on maternal mortality reduction, domestic financing and long-term human capital development. The President was invited to serve as a national champion for maternal mortality reduction, reinforcing political leadership at the highest level.

The Regional Director also commended the Government’s continued enforcement of the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) and the completion of a government-funded national census — a cornerstone for evidence-based policymaking and equitable development planning.

Maternal Health: Skills, Data and Systems That Save Lives

Accompanied by the Minister of Health, the Regional Director visited Farafenni General Hospital, where he met health workers and the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) team, whose data supports evidence-based planning for maternal and newborn care.

The visit highlighted how combining quality services with real-time population and health data can improve decision-making and resource allocation — ensuring that interventions respond to actual needs on the ground.
In newly government-funded health facilities, the Regional Director also commended the inclusion of staff quarters  - a forward-looking approach to health worker retention, particularly in rural areas. This model, already being implemented in facilities such as Njau, is expected to strengthen the health system while improving continuity of care for women and girls.

Across sites supported or equipped by UNFPA, the message was clear: skilled midwives, reliable data, essential equipment and supportive working conditions are central to ending preventable maternal deaths.

Advancing Survivor-Centred Justice
Beyond the health sector, the visit highlighted significant progress in strengthening protection and accountability. The Regional Director visited The Gambia’s GBV Special Court, now nearing completion — a landmark investment in access to justice for survivors of violence.
Recognised as one of only six specialised GBV courts on the African continent that should start functioning in 2026, the court represents a major step forward in addressing gender-based violence through a survivor-centred approach. Dr. Hounton commended the initiative as a powerful signal of national commitment, with strong potential to serve as a model of best practice for other countries.

The visit also underscored the importance of connecting justice mechanisms with health, psychosocial and protection services — ensuring that survivors receive comprehensive, dignified support.

Turning Population Data into Policy Impact
Another key moment of the mission was the visit to the National Population Commission Secretariat and the National Observatory for the Demographic Dividend (NODD) — a multi-institutional platform bringing together experts from 20 government entities.

With more than 60 per cent of the population under the age of 24, discussions focused on how robust population statistics — including The Gambia’s first Population Situation Analysis Report — can better inform policies on education, employment, health and migration. UNFPA reaffirmed its technical support to ensure demographic variables are systematically integrated into national planning and budgeting processes.

Youth Voices at the Centre
The mission concluded with a roundtable between the Regional Director, the Minister of Youth and young Gambians who are already shaping change in their communities. They spoke candidly about skills, jobs, innovation and social norms — offering concrete ideas and solutions grounded in lived experience.

The exchange reinforced a clear message: young people are not waiting on the sidelines — they are ready to lead.

A Shared Path Forward
From maternity wards where midwives like Maimuna save lives, to courtrooms strengthening justice for survivors, from population observatories shaping policy to youth roundtables driving innovation, the Regional Director’s visit underscored a shared ambition between The Gambia and UNFPA.