The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) marked International Women’s Day 2025 with a landmark partnership aimed at tackling critical health and educational challenges facing women and girls across West Africa.
Held on March 5 in Dakar, Senegal, the event brought together regional leaders, civil society groups, and beneficiaries to sign an agreement between ECOWAS and Senegal’s Ministry of Family and Solidarity, launching a local production unit for sanitary pads and adult diapers. The initiative seeks to address menstrual hygiene barriers for schoolgirls, support women recovering from obstetric fistula, and improve the quality of life for elderly women with urinary retention.
Under the United Nations’ 2025 theme, “For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, and Empowerment,” ECOWAS emphasized its commitment to dismantling systemic obstacles that disproportionately affect women. The sanitary pad production project, backed by ECOWAS funding in three member states, directly targets high school dropout rates among girls—a issue often linked to limited access to menstrual products. By ensuring affordable, locally produced supplies, the initiative aims to keep young women in classrooms while addressing the stigma and health risks associated with inadequate hygiene resources.
“This partnership is not just about manufacturing pads—it’s about dignity, education, and equity,” said Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, during the signing ceremony. She highlighted the dual focus on health and economic empowerment, noting that the production units will also create jobs for women in local communities. The project further prioritizes vulnerable groups, including survivors of obstetric fistula—a debilitating childbirth injury—and elderly women, who often face neglect in healthcare systems.
Senegal’s Ministry of Family and Solidarity underscored the transformative potential of the initiative. “When girls miss school due to menstruation, or women endure isolation because of fistula, entire communities suffer,” said a ministry representative. “By localizing production, we’re tackling these issues at their root while fostering economic resilience.”
The Dakar event saw broad participation, including the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Senegal, directors of regional bodies like GIABA (the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering), NGOs specializing in women’s health, and grassroots associations. Students, fistula survivors, and elderly beneficiaries shared testimonies, grounding the policy discussions in lived experiences. One 16-year-old participant from a Dakar school remarked, “Having reliable access to sanitary products means I won’t have to choose between my health and my education anymore.”
ECOWAS’s push for menstrual equity aligns with broader efforts to advance gender parity in West Africa, where cultural taboos and limited infrastructure often hinder progress. The sanitary pad project joins existing EGDC programs focused on vocational training, healthcare access, and anti-violence campaigns. However, challenges persist: an estimated 1 in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during menstruation, while obstetric fistula remains prevalent in areas with inadequate maternal care.
As the ceremony concluded, organizers announced plans to replicate the Senegal model in other member states, tailoring production to local needs. The initiative’s success, stakeholders argued, hinges on sustained collaboration between governments, NGOs, and communities. For ECOWAS, the 2025 Women’s Day celebration was more than symbolic—it was a strategic step toward converting rhetoric into tangible change.
In a region where women’s rights are increasingly at the forefront of policy debates, the Dakar initiative signals a pragmatic approach to empowerment: one that links health, education, and economic opportunity. While hurdles remain, the project offers a blueprint for how regional cooperation can transform vulnerable lives—one pad, one classroom, and one community at a time.
