The Cedar Cohort's 16 implementation research projects across West Africa and the Middle East (2017-2023) provide 'concrete findings and localized insights into the transformative change possible when high-quality research is combined with an understanding of social, economic, political, and cultural factors' to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
The Cedar Cohort comprised 16 implementation research projects exploring adolescent SRH services and health information systems across West Africa and the Middle East from 2017 to 2023.
Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries face heightened SRH risks compounded by gender norms and fragile contexts.
Fragmented health information systems suffer from poor data quality and underrepresentation of marginalized groups.
The supplement's findings are organized around three themes: contextual community-rooted approaches, gender equality and inclusion, and the transformational potential of data and information systems.
No singular solution exists for the multifaceted SRH challenges facing adolescents, and locally relevant, inclusive, and impactful interventions are required.
This research presents a summary introduction to a collection of 16 studies from the Cedar Cohort, a research initiative that ran from 2017 to 2023 across West Africa and the Middle East. The studies investigated how to improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescents and how to strengthen health data systems in these regions. The research was conducted by scientists based in low- and middle-income countries themselves, and covered topics including early marriage, unintended pregnancies, access to health services, and the quality of health information systems. The findings highlight that adolescents — especially girls — in these regions face serious and compounding barriers to reproductive health care, including cultural gender norms, fragile political environments, and poor-quality health data that often excludes the most vulnerable people. The researchers found that digital tools show potential for filling gaps in health information, but only when carefully adapted to local conditions. The overall message is that effective solutions must be rooted in local communities, promote gender equality, and use strong data systems — and that no single approach will work everywhere. This research suggests that progress on global health goals like the Sustainable Development Goals will require moving away from one-size-fits-all strategies and instead investing in approaches that are tailored to specific communities, inclusive of marginalized groups, and informed by high-quality local data. The supplement as a whole offers practical lessons for governments, health organizations, and policymakers working to improve adolescent reproductive health in resource-limited and conflict-affected settings.
Sinha C, Ingabire M, Schryer-Roy A. (2025). Bridging the know-do gap: improved adolescent sexual and reproductive health and health information systems in West Africa and the Middle East.. Reproductive health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-01987-2