The ECOWAS Parliament has called on regional legislators to enhance efforts aimed at improving financial inclusion for women in West Africa, emphasizing the importance of female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
Speaker Memounatou Ibrahima made this appeal during the closing ceremony of the Third Extraordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar held in Lomé, Togo.
Ibrahima highlighted the need for member states to ensure women have access to essential resources, such as bank accounts, loans, and investment opportunities, to unlock their potential. She stated, “It is clear that women are change agents and they should be supported in the key role that they play if we want to speed up the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
The discussions culminated in a symposium organized by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), focused on “Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment of Women in the ECOWAS Subregion.” Ibrahima emphasized that financial inclusion must evolve into a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of economic equality.
She urged collective action from all sectors of society to drive policies that will eliminate barriers facing women. “This is how we can break the chain of poverty within our families and communities,” she remarked, stressing the long-term commitment required for meaningful change.
ECOFEPA President Veronica Sesay echoed Ibrahima’s sentiments, stating that increased investment in women’s financial inclusion would create a more prosperous and egalitarian subregion. “Entrepreneurship is the gateway to women’s financial redemption,” she asserted, advocating for more financial resources to empower women.
The former Liberian Vice President, Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, emphasized the potential benefits of leveraging the Global Task Force to Empower One Million Women in the Trade Industry. She called on regional leaders to ensure that women have access to credit facilities, noting that closing the gender gap could trigger a $3 trillion increase in global GDP.
The ECOWAS Parliament’s initiative represents a critical step toward addressing the financial disparities that hinder women’s economic participation and empowerment in West Africa.
