Cotonou, 23 November 2017. A headquarters agreement between Benin and the West African Network of Young Women Leaders (ROAJELF) is about to be signed, thanks to the support of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The announcement was made on Thursday 23 November 2017 in Cotonou, Benin by the country’s Minister for Social Affairs and Microfinance, Mrs. Bintou Chabi Adam Taro, at the regional forum on issues and challenges of young women in the enhancement of women’s movement in West Africa.

The meeting was attended by young ROAJELF women delegates from the 15 Member States of ECOWAS, and provided a forum for discussion on various issues.

Aside from the validation of the network’s programme of activities and operational guide, discussions were held on youth involvement in expediting the attainment of demographic dividend across African countries.

The meeting also dwelt on the promotion of gender and support for initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting women, in view of their actual contribution to sustainable human development.

Discussions also centred on the role of ROAJELF in the region; and that within the framework of project “50 Million African Women Speak”. The project was initiated by the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), a specialised agency of the regional organisation’s commission, based in Dakar Senegal.

In Cotonou members of ROAJELF also decided to be fully engaged, at Member State level, in the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence; a global-scale initiative launched by UN-Women.

It is worth noting that ROAJELF is a network set up by the EGDC for the promotion of young women’s rights.