A high-level advocacy session was held in Accra, Ghana, on February 20, 2026, to conclude the Regional Consultation on Political Participation and Leadership of Women and Youth in West Africa. The event marked the end of a series of meetings under the ECOWAS Legacy Project, which aims to enhance inclusive political participation for women and youth across member states.
The Legacy Project is part of ECOWAS’s ongoing efforts to promote democratic governance and equal opportunities. The initiative seeks to build on achievements from the past fifty years by developing a regional framework that supports gender equality in politics. A model law or guide is planned as part of this project, with the goal of encouraging reforms that would increase political participation and leadership among women and young people by 2035.
The meeting included several notable participants such as H.E. Mrs Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Vice-President of Ghana; representatives from Spain; Vice-President Damtien L. Tchintchibidja of the ECOWAS Commission; and ministers responsible for gender issues from various member states.
During her remarks, the representative of the Ambassador of Spain to Ghana said: “The Kingdom of Spain supports the efforts of all organisations and institutions to strengthen democracy and consolidate gender equality as a cornerstone of sustainable development.”
Vice-President Damtien L. Tchintchibidja stated: “The Legacy Project Initiative aims to strengthen women’s access to political leadership, legal and electoral reforms, leadership preparation, equitable access to resources, robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and sustained efforts to change socio-cultural perceptions. The ECOWAS Commission remains firmly committed to Member States to provide advisory support, strengthen monitoring mechanisms and mobilise partnerships.”
H.E. Ms Isata Mahoi, Minister for Gender and Children of Sierra Leone and Chair of the ECOWAS Gender Ministers’ Council said: “The baseline situation regarding the political participation and leadership of women and young people in ECOWAS Member States clearly shows the need to focus on implementing reforms to strengthen the political participation and leadership of women and young people in the region’s political arena. As part of the operationalisation of the Legacy Project, commitments must be made at the country level to break down economic, social, cultural and other barriers.”
At closing, Vice-President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang emphasized: “The inclusion of women and youth is a priority for the Republic of Ghana. To this end, initiatives for the political participation of women and young people have been taken through the implementation of institutional policies and the creation of platforms for youth engagement. The Republic of Ghana remains available to collaborate with ECOWAS to promote the inclusion of women and young people.”
ECOWAS works toward cooperation among its member states through harmonized policies in areas such as trade, transport, agriculture, infrastructure development and social advancement. Its commission operates under a president with support from a vice president and commissioners, guiding policy alignment throughout West Africa.
Programs led by ECOWAS currently target twelve countries but are designed with broader regional integration in mind to extend their reach. Efforts also include harmonizing economic systems using mechanisms like common external tariffs and enhancing transparency via multilingual communication channels.
This consultation was organized with support from Spain’s Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) within an initiative implemented by ROAJELF—the West African Network of Young Women Leaders—underlining international collaboration behind these regional goals.