Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trains Members of the Gender Equality Committee (GEC) on the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions (GES-PI)

The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) has organised a capacity building workshop for the ECOWAS Gender Equality Committee (GEC) and other Civil Society Stakeholders from September 9 – 11, 2024, in Accra, Ghana with support from GIZ and the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa.

The Gender Equality Committee is composed of focal points of ECOWAS Institutions, Depart-ments and Agencies who have been designated to facilitate the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal.

The three (3) days training is to equip the members of the ECOWAS Gender Equality Committee (GEC) with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to implement the GES-PI in the different ECOWAS Institutions, Departments and Agencies.

In her opening remarks, Madam Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, the Director of the ECOWAS Gender and Development Centre (EGDC), highlighted that ECOWAS leaders have consistently demonstrat-ed ample commitment to the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the region, as exemplified by their commitment expressed in Article 63 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty to formulate, harmonise, co-ordinate and establish appropriate policies and mecha-nisms for the enhancement of the economic, social and cultural conditions of women.

“For us to give real meaning to the commitment of our leaders to eliminate gender inequalities and disparities in our region, ECOWAS Institutions, Departments and Agencies, must begin with ourselves. We must first of all take the necessary steps to mainstream gender in our strat-egies and programmes and ensure that the internal structures and processes within ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies are all gender sensitive” She added.

Mrs. Doerte Diallo, Head of the Bilateral BMZ Project “Supporting Human Rights, Gender Equal-ity and Civil Society” in Ghana, in her statement underscored that a more practical, evidence-based

approach is needed to promote institutional accountability and effectiveness in achieving gender equality. She reiterates GIZ’s commitment to this noble cause. “Together, we can cre-ate a future where every woman and man have an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential and contribute fully to the development of our region”, she added.

Dr. Mathias Naab, Director UNDP-Regional Service Centre for Africa represented by Ms. Cleo-patra Phiri-Hurungo, Gender Team Lead, expressed their happiness to witness this milestone achievement by ECOWAS in adopting the Gender Equality Seal as a framework to drive gender equality forward. Adding that the GES-PI, represents a powerful tool with the potential to transform the gender landscape across West Africa.

In her opening remarks, Hon. Dakoa Newman, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection of the Republic of Ghana, who was represented by Mrs. Faustina Akua Frempomaa Acheampong, the Director of the Department of Gender, stressed that the timing for this train-ing workshop is crucial considering the global collective goal of bridging the gender gaps that continue to pertain even though a lot of efforts to promote the wellbeing of women and girls have rigorously been pursued.

Hon. Newman highlighted that despite the efforts being made, more is still needed to raise gender awareness and invest in sensitization to dismantle existing stereotypes that negatively affect gender mainstreaming efforts.

At the end of the training about 45 staff members of ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies will acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities to roll out the Gender Equality Seal for Public Insti-tutions (GES-PI), enabling conditions are created for the roll out of the GES-PI in ECOWAS Insti-tutions and Agencies, and a comprehensive roadmap is adopted for the roll out of the GES-PI in ECO-WAS Institutions and Agencies, among others.

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