A Ministerial High-Level Meeting under the Regional Consultation on Political Participation and Leadership of Women and Youth in West Africa has been held in Accra as part of a four-day regional engagement hosted by the Government of Ghana.
The consultation, which began on February 17, is organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre. It forms part of the ECOWAS Anniversary Legacy Project aimed at advancing gender parity and inclusive governance across Member States.
Welcoming participants, Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, described the initiative as timely and critical to strengthening gender inclusion efforts within the sub-region. She noted that despite women and youth constituting the majority of West Africa’s population and driving innovation and resilience, their representation in political leadership and decision-making remains limited.
Dr. Lartey reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to promoting gender equality and youth empowerment in line with international and regional frameworks. She highlighted national interventions such as the Government’s Reset Agenda, the enactment of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, and the ongoing review of the National Gender and Youth Policies as deliberate steps to dismantle barriers to participation.
Chair of ECOWAS Ministers responsible for Gender, Madam Isata Mahoi, emphasized that the consultation was a call to action to dismantle legal, cultural, and institutional obstacles, strengthen affirmative action and electoral reforms, and promote mentorship and leadership opportunities for women and youth.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of Member States’ shared responsibility to translate commitments into concrete national actions that promote inclusive governance, democratic resilience, and sustainable development across West Africa.
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