Liberia’s Minister Ministry Of Gender, Children And Social Protection-Liberia was amongst key Regional Stakeholders including policymakers, gender experts, youth leaders and development partners from across West Africa to assess progress, identify persistent barriers and develop practical recommendations to strengthen inclusive governance at the recently held ECOWAS Regional Consultation on Women/Youth Political Participation.
The four-day consultation held in Accra, Ghana, from 17-20 February, was 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 aimed to assess the current state of political participation of 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 by 2035.
The gathering also encouraged member states to adopt legislative reforms that will allow women and young people to take active leadership roles and participate fully in politics by 2035.
Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Commission has called for bold electoral reforms across West Africa to ensure equal political participation for women and young people, setting an ambitious target of achieving 50/50 gender parity in elective positions by 2035.
