ECOWAS Launches the ECOWAS Gender Observatory (ECOGO) and EGDC’s Gender Programmes in Ghana

The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) has launched the ECOWAS Gender Observatory (ECOGO) and the EGDC’s programmes in Ghana on September 6, 2024, in Accra, Ghana with support from the USAID Strengthening Regional Peace and Stability (SRPS) in West Africa Programme and the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa.

The ECOWAS Gender Observatory is a regional digital platform for the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of ECOWAS gender programmes, projects and activities in Member States as well as a gender statistics database on the state of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the ECOWAS region.

As part of the launch of the EGDC’s Gender programmes, a cheque of USD245,000 was presented to the Republic of Ghana to boost the implementation of the EGDC’s Obstetric Fistula programme in Ghana. In 2024, ECOWAS is providing funding support to 8 Member States to contribute towards the eradication of obstetric Fistula from the ECOWAS region. The funds are meant to support the implementation of the four (4) key components of the Fistula programme, namely surgical repair of women and girls suffering from obstetric Fistula, the socio-economic reintegration of Fistula survivors into their communities, sensitisation campaigns to raise awareness on the causes and prevention of obstetric fistula, and the rehabilitation of national Fistula referral centres.

In her remarks, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, the Honourable Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, emphasised that the “ECOWAS Gender Observatory represents a crucial tool in our quest for gender equality and women’s empowerment”. She added that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the data collected, and studies carried out are not forgotten, but rather translated into tangible action and positive change on the ground.

While recognising the crucial and pivotal role that Gender Observatories play in advancing gender equality and youth empowerment, Ms. Prudence Ngwenya, Director of Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, African Union Commission, highlighted that the ECOWAS Gender Observatory is not only a repository of data; but a dynamic platform that will “enable us to collect, analyse, and disseminate gender-disaggregated data across the region. It provides a long-term sustainable response to the generation and management of data challenges, identifying trends, and opportunities and to fast track the implementation of the gender-related commitments by Member States”.

In her Statement Ms. Cleopatra Phiri-Hurungo, Gender Team Lead on behalf of Dr. Mathias Naab, Director UNDP-Regional Service Centre for Africa, highlighted that the ECOWAS region has made remarkable strides in promoting gender equality. “The creation and launch of the ECOWAS Gender Observatory (ECOGO) represents a crucial and timely endeavour. This bold initiative will empower the region to boldly confront obstacles and rigorously monitor Member States’ compliance with commitments on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

In her opening remarks, Hon. Dakoa Newman, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection of the Republic of Ghana, who was represented by Mrs. Faustina Akua Frempomaa Acheampong, the Director of the Department of Gender, commended the leadership of ECOWAS Gender Development Centre for their continuous commitment to appreciate the importance of women and girls in diverse ways of the economy and taking concrete measures to complement the efforts of Member States towards this important goal.

As a regional web-based Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Database system, ECOGO will cover all ECOWAS Member States, and will include a module for the automatic migration of data to the Gender Observatory of the African Union, under the direct supervision of the ECOWAS Commission.