The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment during a high-level ministerial conference held on the sidelines of the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Organised by the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Human Development and Social Affairs in collaboration with UN Women’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa, the session brought together gender ministers from several West African countries, along with representatives from civil society organizations, technical and financial partners, and youth networks such as the West African Network of Young Women Leaders (ROAJEF).
Chaired by the Minister of Gender Affairs of Nigeria, the conference was attended by gender and social affairs ministers from Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Togo, as well as representatives from Benin and Côte d’Ivoire. Discussions focused on reviewing 30 years of progress in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action in West Africa, with particular emphasis on women’s peace and security, legislative advancements for gender equality, economic empowerment of women, and improved access to basic services.
Ministers also assessed the current regional landscape and its implications for gender equality, identifying strategies to strengthen women’s rights and empowerment efforts across member states. At the end of the conference, a final communiqué was adopted, urging ECOWAS member states to implement tailored programs for women and girls, including free education and healthcare, while strengthening basic social infrastructures to improve access to essential services. It also called for increased support for women’s entrepreneurship, financial and digital inclusion, and policies to address climate change impacts on women.
To ensure continued progress, the ministers called on the ECOWAS Commission to establish an annual review system for tracking achievements, challenges, and obstacles related to gender equality. This will include a yearly preparatory meeting on the Commission on the Status of Women, to be hosted by an ECOWAS member state.
The conference reaffirmed ECOWAS’ longstanding commitment to gender equality and regional integration, emphasising the need for sustained action and investment in women’s empowerment across West Africa.
