As Member States of ECOWAS participated in a four-day regional consultation on political participation and leadership of women and young people in West Africa, the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone and Chair of the West African Ministers of Gender and Women Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, has during the closing ceremony urged member states for a swift implementation of their conclusions swiftly.
The consultation was organized by ECOWAS Gender and Development Centre and hosted by the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
The consultation brought together Ministers responsible for gender/women, ECOWAS Resident Representatives, Experts, HCD Focal Points, and Development Partners.
She made this call while reading out the recommendations made during high-level sessions to strengthen the implementation of the Legacy project.
Highlighting them, the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone, Dr. Isata Mahoi, said it was discussed and agreed upon that cultural norms of each member state should be taken into consideration, and a monitoring plan and capacity-building mechanisms should be established along with a caucus of ministers responsible for gender or women’s issues to provide a framework for continuous dialogue.
She added that it was also agreed that the positions of women in government should be strengthened, and to break down economic, social, cultural, and other barriers between women and political participation, and take into consideration the age group of young people in the analysis for the political inclusion of young people.
Dr. Mahoi concluded by commending the organizers of the regional consultation and called on member states to work sincerely in promoting issues of women and young people when it comes to politics or governance.
Addressing the closing ceremony was Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who urged leaders to deepen efforts to create open political opportunities for women and young people.
She stated that while regional backgrounds such as the ECOWAS Gender and Youth Policy exist, representation of women and youth in leadership and decision-making spaces is still low.
The Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection for Ghana, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, reiterated Ghana’s dedication to supporting corporations that promote the rights and welfare of women and young people.
Representatives of ECOWAS and other organizations expressed appreciation to the government of Ghana for hosting such an important meeting and described the outcomes as noteworthy steps towards a strengthened regional cooperation and deeper self-governing inclusion.
The engagement, organized by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, which was held at the Mövenpick Hotel, brought together representatives of ECOWAS, government officials, and other stakeholders from across the sub-region.
