ECOWAS Vice President Reaffirms Commitment to Women’s Leadership at AWLN High-Level Forum in New York

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its strong commitment to promoting women’s leadership and inclusive governance at the High-Level Africa Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Forum held in New York on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

The Forum, co-hosted by the African Union (AU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the AWLN, convened global leaders, development partners, senior UN officials, as well as women and youth leaders, under the theme “Advancing Women Political Participation in Africa.”

Representing ECOWAS, Her Excellency Damtien Larbli Tchintchibidja, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, delivered a powerful goodwill message that highlighted the organization’s unwavering dedication to strengthening women’s leadership across the sub-region. She stressed that inclusive governance is not only a human rights imperative but also a central pillar for accelerating regional integration and sustainable development.

Madam Tchintchibidja commended African women leaders for their resilience and transformative impact in governance, peacebuilding, and community development. She further emphasized the need for collective action to dismantle structural barriers that continue to limit women’s political participation across the continent. “Women are at the heart of Africa’s progress. Advancing women’s leadership is advancing inclusive governance, peace, and sustainable development. ECOWAS remains fully committed to ensuring that women occupy their rightful place in decision-making processes, both at national and regional levels,” she declared.

The ECOWAS Vice President also reaffirmed the Commission’s continued collaboration with continental and global partners to implement frameworks and initiatives aimed at empowering women and creating enabling environments for their political participation.

The event was attended by high-level dignitaries, including the UN Deputy Secretary-General, H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, African Union representatives, development partners, and women leaders from across the continent. Deliberations focused on strategies to strengthen women’s political leadership, mobilize resources, and accelerate commitments towards gender parity in governance.

Participants at the Forum recognized the urgent need to increase investments in women’s empowerment initiatives, ensure women’s representation in leadership positions, and foster intergenerational dialogue that empowers young women to take on leadership roles.

The AWLN High-Level Forum reaffirmed that women’s leadership is critical to building inclusive societies and driving Africa’s transformation agenda. ECOWAS’s active participation and strong commitment further reinforced its leadership role in promoting gender equality, peace, and development in West Africa and beyond.