ECOWAS Ministers Commit to Women's Political Parity by 2035

Across West Africa, ministers have made pledges to convert commitments into tangible gains regarding women's participation in politics, with 2035 as the target year for achieving gender parity within the ECOWAS framework. These pledges surfaced during a two-day gathering held in Abuja that assembled regional leaders, parliamentarians, and development partners focused on dismantling obstacles that impede women from accessing political positions.

Counterparts from Nigeria's Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development joined other West African officials in supporting a regional action agenda built on three core elements: fortified legal frameworks, creative financing approaches, and systemic reforms. Adopted at the forum, the Abuja Declaration of expanding leadership development initiatives and establishing regional mechanisms for accountability to guarantee that member states honour their commitments.

Previously, ECOWAS Heads of State had endorsed a Presidential Declaration addressing women's political representation at a Sierra Leone summit, which the Abuja gathering expanded on. Vice-President Damtien Tchintchibidja of the ECOWAS Commission noted that advancing women's participation in political roles serves as a prerequisite for spurring economic expansion, deepening regional ties, and fostering sustainable development throughout the organisation.

Forum participants underscored that the West African region must not allow additional postponements in rolling out gender equality initiatives, emphasising the demand for urgent steps rather than mere declarations. Working alongside the UN Development Programme and the African Women Leaders Network, ECOWAS organised the forum; attendees stressed how women's access to political representation shapes the wider health of democratic systems and governance structures in the region.