As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) commemorates its 50th anniversary, regional leaders are shifting focus from policy declarations to concrete reforms aimed at embedding women and young people more firmly in political leadership.
At a Ministerial Meeting held in Accra on the margins of a regional consultation on Political Participation and Leadership of Women and Young People, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Damtien Tchintchibidja, called on member states to take ownership of the bloc’s flagship “Legacy Project.”
She described the initiative as a national-driven framework rather than a top-down regional programme, urging ministers to act as “architects” of inclusive governance reforms. According to her, the project seeks to link political inclusion directly to democratic legitimacy, employment creation, stability and long-term prosperity.
The four-day consultation, which concluded on February 20, brought together policymakers, gender advocates and development experts to deliberate on practical pathways for strengthening participation across the sub-region.
Chairperson of ECOWAS Ministers Responsible for Gender, Isata Mahoi, stressed that persistent underrepresentation of women and youth in decision-making continues to weaken democratic systems. She described their exclusion as both a democratic deficit and a lost opportunity for transformation.
Senior Advisor to the Vice-President of the Commission, Ruben K. D. Johnson, highlighted concerns over low female political representation despite the existence of legal frameworks, noting that meaningful human capital development cannot occur without active inclusion.
Meanwhile, Director of the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development, Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, advocated for binding legislative measures to improve women’s leadership representation. She also urged governments to move beyond viewing young people solely as electoral mobilisers and instead strengthen their governance capacities through mentoring and networks.
The discussions were framed within ECOWAS Vision 2050 — “An ECOWAS of the Peoples: Peace and Prosperity for All” — which seeks to entrench people-centred governance across the region.
Representing Ghana, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Agnes Naa Momo Lartey said the country was working to remove structural and socio-cultural barriers limiting participation. She reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to advancing gender equality and youth empowerment in line with both regional and international frameworks.
With ECOWAS at a milestone moment in its history, officials say the success of the Legacy Project will ultimately depend on how swiftly member states translate political commitments into enforceable national reforms.
