WOMEN’S DAY: ECOWAS FEMALE PARLIAMENTARIANS SEEK MORE WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT 08-03-25
By Sadiq Aminu. As the world marks Women’s Day on Saturday, the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association, ECOFEPA, has called for more elective and appointive positions for women in West Africa.
At their meeting at the end of the 2025 First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Lagos, the President of ECOFEPA, Hon. Veronica Sesay said women needed to be given more recognition for progress and development of the West African region.
“We still want recognition as women. We are lagging behind; it’s still not easy except we push our way. And this is what we want our men of the West African States to take into cognizance. We, women are partners in development. We are powerful instruments for development. Let them use us so that we can help them to achieve because this is all what we want to see. Our voices must be heard,” Hon. Sesay said.
Citing the example of her home country, Sierra Leone, where thirty percent of women occupied elective positions, Hon. Sesay called on other West African countries to give women more opportunities at the decision table.
On the implementation of the affirmative action for women, the ECOFEPA President said, “Well, we have achieved the 30 thirty per cent. Initially, we were 12, and now we have 30 per cent of female representation in my country (Sierra Leone) and we have gender policy. In all the institutions, we have gender desks and that is helping greatly. In the elective executive positions, we have so many women. It’s not just in the lower cadre but in the higher cadre too. That’s where we are now in Sierra Leone.”
Hon. Sesay said Sierra Leone was able to achieve the affirmative action by amending the Electoral Act to make it mandatory that for every elective position, the political parties must have 30 per cent female candidates.
She said ECOFEPA would be very active during the year with projects aimed at ensuring youth and women empowerment.
The female parliamentarians also approved a new ECOFEPA Constitution to improve its funding and a 2025 Action Plan to push the growth of the association.