The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Gender Development Centre (EGDC) and the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March with female students in Dakar

 “Investing in girls’ education to guarantee their rights and accelerate their economic empowerment in the ECOWAS region” is the theme chosen by the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March. The event was commemorated in advance on the morning of Tuesday 5 March 2024 at the Henriette Bathily Women’s Museum in Dakar, a partner in this activity, along with the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), the Institut Supérieur de Management (ISM), the 2IM/EMD group and the Awa et Khassim school in Dakar.

Following a welcome address by Mrs Awa Cheikh Diouf, Curator of the Henriette Bathily Women’s Museum (MUFEM), the day’s activities were officially launched by Mrs Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, Director of the EGDC, Mr Mamadou Moustapha Seck, representing His Excellency Sylvain Sambou, Director of the ECOWAS National Office in Senegal, and His Excellency Edwin W. Harris J., Director-General of GIABA.

The screening of an extract from the film “Les Mamans de l’indépendance” (The Mothers of Independence), which recounts the extraordinary destiny of 17 Senegalese women who deserve their place in history, was followed by a session led by renowned female panelists such as Mrs Penda Mbow, Historian and Head of the Francophonie Office; Mrs Hawa Ba, Head of the OSIWA Senegal Office; Ndeye Fatou Tounkara, known as Wasso, feminist and trainer in creative activism; and Diabou Bessane, journalist and film-maker, on the theme chosen by the EGDC for the day. The event recorded the active participation of sectoral ministries (Women Affairs, Higher Education, Education, Technical and Vocational Education), pupils, and students in Dakar, who, at the end of the session, launched an appeal for measures to promote girls’ education in the ECOWAS region.

International Women’s Day (IWD) was initiated in 1977 by the United Nations to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, while calling for action to strengthen gender equality and accelerate the empowerment of women worldwide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).