Leaders from across West Africa have renewed commitments to expand political opportunities for women and young people, with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announcing the rollout of a major regional initiative aimed at accelerating inclusion.
The announcement came at the close of the ECOWAS Regional Consultation on Political Participation and Leadership of Women and Young People in West Africa, held in Accra. The forum brought together policymakers, ministers and development partners to assess progress and chart a path forward.
Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang stressed that the region’s development hinges on fully integrating women and youth into governance and decision-making structures. She warned that persistent underrepresentation across member states could stall democratic and socio-economic progress.
While acknowledging gains under frameworks such as the ECOWAS Gender Policy and Youth Policy, she said more decisive steps were required to translate commitments into measurable outcomes.
In Ghana, she cited the passage of the Affirmative Action Act as a key milestone aimed at increasing women’s participation in public life. Since its enactment, she noted, more women have been appointed to leadership roles in ministerial, parliamentary, judicial and local government positions.
She also highlighted youth-focused interventions through the Ministry of Youth and Development and the National Youth Authority, which have expanded civic engagement platforms and policy dialogue opportunities for young people.
However, ECOWAS officials emphasized that policy frameworks alone are insufficient without effective implementation.
Damtien Tchintchibidja, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, announced the commencement of the bloc’s “Legacy Project,” which will provide advisory support, peer-learning mechanisms and monitoring systems to help member states institutionalize reforms. The initiative aims to consolidate democratic governance gains and guide the development of a model law to strengthen women and youth participation by 2035.
Isata Mahoi, Chairperson of ECOWAS Ministers Responsible for Gender, stressed that success would depend on strong national action plans to dismantle structural barriers limiting inclusion.
Meanwhile, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Ghana’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, called on member states and partners to move beyond rhetoric and make inclusive governance a practical reality.
The consultation coincided with ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary, a milestone leaders described as both commemorative and transformative, as the bloc seeks to embed inclusive political leadership at the heart of its next phase of regional integration.
