The four-day engagement between the Government of Ghana and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre has concluded with a renewed and strengthened commitment to advancing women and youth political participation and promoting inclusive 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 that brought together representatives of ECOWAS, government officials, policymakers, and key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening inclusive leadership and democratic participation within the sub-region.
Addressing the closing ceremony, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, called for a more deliberate and intensified effort to expand political opportunities for women and young people across West Africa. She urged leaders to move beyond policy commitments and ensure practical implementation that creates real pathways for women and youth to actively participate in governance and decision-making.
She acknowledged that although West African countries 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. According to her, inclusion must not be treated as symbolic, but as a strategic imperative for democratic consolidation and sustainable regional progress.
The Vice President stressed that empowering women and youth to assume leadership roles would strengthen democratic resilience, enrich policy discourse, and enhance institutional effectiveness.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to sustaining regional partnerships that advance 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 development.
Representatives of ECOWAS expressed appreciation to the Government of Ghana for hosting the regional consultation and described the outcomes of the discussions 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.
