The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced the launch of a project supporting national early warning and response mechanisms on harnessing gender empowerment as a tool for human security.
The launch was made known at a two-day event held recently.
The aim of the project is to establish operational linkages between the national mechanism and relevant structures and organisations in the gender/women’s empowerment ecosystem at the national and sub-national levels, support the national mechanisms in advocacy and awareness raising as well as ensure complementarity with existing initiatives.
The project is within the framework of operationalising the National Early Warning and Response Mechanisms, which the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, in 2014, took the decision to establish in all member states to bridge the gap between Early Warning and Early Response.
The launch was also attended by the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Ghana, Ambassador Baba Gana Wakil; the Executive Director of the West.
Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) Mr. Emeka Eze; the Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Mrs. Nana Afadzinu; the Regional Coordinator and the National Presidents of the Peace and Security Network for Women in the ECOWAS Region (REPSFECO) and the coordinator of the Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET).
Others were the representatives of KAIPTC and the African Women leadership Network; directors and analysts from the National Early Warning and Response Centres, as well as regional experts.
The ECOWAS delegation that accompanied the Vice President and the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, was comprised of the Director of Early Warning, Dr. Gueye Abdou Lat and the Director of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, Mrs. Sandra Oulate, and their respective teams.
To culminate her mission to Accra, the Vice President of the Commission paid a courtesy visit to the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Also, in a related development, ECOWAS has pledged to promote cultural exchange and increase knowledge on the rich tradition of the West African people.
