West African sub-region urged to increase involvement of women and youth in governance

By Edith Atiaka Eshun

Ministers of Gender, Children, Women and Social Protection in the ECOWAS sub-region have been urged to take bold, coordinated action to remove barriers that prevent women and young people from fully participating in politics across West Africa.

At a four-day ECOWAS regional consultation meeting in Accra, the President of ECOWAS Ministers Responsible for Gender, who is also Isata Mahoi, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, said member states must confront the legal, cultural, economic and institutional obstacles limiting inclusion. She urged ministers to work collectively to expand leadership opportunities for women and youth in their respective countries.

The meeting forms part of the 50th Anniversary Legacy Project of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on gender parity in elected bodies in ECOWAS member states (2025–2035), which seeks to strengthen the representation of women and young people in political leadership across the sub-region.

Organised under the auspices of Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in collaboration with the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), the consultation aims to assess the current state of political participation among women and young people in West Africa, advance dialogue on gender parity in elected bodies, and contribute to the development of a regional model law or guide to promote inclusive governance and leadership.

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, stressed that policy reforms such as quotas, affirmative action and gender-sensitive electoral frameworks are not privileges but necessary tools to correct historical imbalances.

She highlighted the need to invest in civic education, mentorship and digital platforms to equip young people with the skills and confidence to lead.

Dr Lartey also called for stronger policy coordination and advocacy to advance gender equality and youth development across the sub-region.

She reiterated the call by John Dramani Mahama for ECOWAS member states to adopt gender-responsive budgeting by 2028, with defined minimum allocations to support gender equality initiatives.

The Minister further stressed the need to ratify and implement international frameworks aimed at ending violence against women and girls, supported by comprehensive national action plans, while accelerating financial and economic inclusion to ensure that women and youth have equal access to finance, assets, markets and decent work.

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