The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) unveiled two flagship programs aimed at advancing women’s roles in conflict resolution and economic inclusion during a high-profile event at the 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) on March 18, 2025.
The initiatives signal the bloc’s intensified focus on gender equality as a cornerstone of regional stability.
The ECOWAS Women Peace and Security Mentorship Academy, designed to cultivate young female leaders in peacebuilding, and a parallel project boosting digital access and livelihoods for women-led community organizations, were launched at the African Union’s Permanent Observer Mission. The event drew ministers, UN officials, and civil society leaders, who emphasized the critical link between women’s empowerment and sustainable peace in West Africa.
Commissioner for Humanitarian and Social Affairs Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, spearheading the initiatives, called the programs a “transformative leap” for regional security. “When women lead, peace endures,” she said, highlighting ECOWAS’s strategy to integrate gender perspectives into mediation and post-conflict recovery.
Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by Permanent Secretary Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, stressed economic autonomy as a deterrent to violence. “Digital inclusion unlocks opportunities for women to drive change in their communities,” Keshinro said during the launch. Sierra Leone’s Gender Minister Dr. Isata Mahoi echoed this, citing her country’s UN Security Council tenure as proof of women’s impact in high-stakes diplomacy.
AU Special Envoy Bineta Diop praised ECOWAS for “setting a continental benchmark,” while UN Director Nathalie Ndongo-Seh urged expanded partnerships to scale the initiatives. “Women’s participation isn’t optional—it’s a security imperative,” she stated.
The mentorship academy will train 500 young women annually in conflict resolution, policy advocacy, and leadership across ECOWAS’s 15 member states. The digital project targets 200 grassroots organizations with funding and technology tools to enhance their operational reach. Both programs align with the bloc’s 2025 Gender Action Plan, which prioritizes closing the region’s 32% gender digital divide.
Challenges remain: Only 22% of West African peace negotiators are women, and female-led businesses receive less than 10% of regional financing. “These initiatives address systemic gaps,” said Liberian activist Aminata Kargbo, who attended the event. “But implementation must be swift—communities can’t wait.”
ECOWAS officials confirmed partnerships with tech firms and donors to ensure sustained funding. “This isn’t about charity,” Prof. Sarr asserted. “It’s about investing in the architects of peace.”
As CSW69 concluded, the message resonated: West Africa’s stability hinges on empowering half its population. With conflict displacing over 5 million in the Sahel alone, the stakes have never been higher.
