GHANA–ECOWAS ENGAGEMENT ENDS WITH RENEWED COMMITMENT TO WOMEN AND YOUTH POLITICAL INCLUSION
A four-day regional engagement between the Government of Ghana and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) has concluded with renewed commitments to advancing women and youth participation in politics and governance across West Africa.
The engagement, coordinated by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, culminated in a High-Level Regional Consultation and Advocacy Meeting. The forum brought together ECOWAS representatives, government officials, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to deliberate on strategies to strengthen inclusive leadership and democratic participation within the sub-region.
Delivering remarks at the closing ceremony, Ghana’s Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, called for more deliberate and intensified efforts to expand political opportunities for women and young people across West Africa.
She urged leaders to move beyond policy declarations and focus on practical implementation measures that create tangible pathways for women and youth to actively engage in governance and decision-making processes.
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She acknowledged that although countries in the sub-region have adopted important regional frameworks, including the ECOWAS Gender and Youth Policy, representation of women and young people in political and decision-making spaces remains significantly low. She stressed that inclusion must not be symbolic but treated as a strategic imperative for democratic consolidation and sustainable regional development.
According to the Vice President, empowering women and youth to assume leadership roles will enhance democratic resilience, enrich public policy discourse, and strengthen institutional effectiveness across the region.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to sustaining regional partnerships aimed at advancing the rights and welfare of women, children, and vulnerable groups. She commended ECOWAS and participating Member States for their collaboration and shared vision toward inclusive democratic governance.
Representatives of ECOWAS expressed appreciation to the Government of Ghana for hosting the consultation, describing the outcomes as a significant step toward strengthened regional cooperation and deeper democratic inclusion in West Africa.
The High-Level Advocacy Meeting formally marked the conclusion of the four-day regional engagement.
Published by: Solomon Kwabena Nana-Ansah
