Make Every Woman Count
obstetric fistula; 2) comprehensive care of obstetric fistula victims in all ECOWAS Member States; 3) socioeconomic reinsertion of victims who have been cured of, or have recovered from, obstetric fistula and; 4) coordination, monitoring and evaluation and operational research in the field of obstetric fistula for all ECOWAS Member States.419 The 2020 ECOWAS Regional Strategy for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B&C and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights among Key Populations aims to address the continued challenges in the region and build on existing international and regional commitments. Its guiding principles include respect of human rights, sustained community participation and empowerment, evidence-based and people-centred interventions, and strong political commitment.420 The goals of the Strategy also include guiding, harmonising and scaling up regional and national efforts towards key populations in West Africa.421 The Strategy also recognises that women and girls belonging to key populations face elevated risks of violence, discrimination and stigma, which compounds the risk of HIV.422 ECOWAS has also put in place an institutional structure to mainstream gender issues. This includes the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), the Commission on Human Development and Gender Commission, which provides technical expertise on policy formulation and implementation within ECOWAS, and the ECOWAS Secretariat Gender Management Team (GMT). The EGDC, established in 2003, is a multi-purpose regional agency charged with the responsibility of contributing to gender equality and women’s empowerment in the ECOWAS region and promoting gender mainstreaming in all regional integration policies, strategies and programmes.423 The EGDC put in place the EGDC Plan of Action for 2005–2007 and the EGDC Strategic Plan for 2009–2013 to address its critical priorities: education and health; economy and trade; governance, representation and decision-making; agriculture and environment; and peace and security.424 Together with COMESA and EAC, ECOWAS set up the 50 Million African Women Speak project to give women technical and financial support to launch and manage their businesses. Finally, EDGC has also facilitated the formation and coordination of different regional advocacy networks, such as the Network on Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Region, the West African Network of Young Women Leaders (Réseau Ouest Africain des Jeunes Femmes Leaders) and the Association of ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians.
6.3. Strengths, Challenges and Gaps ECOWAS has developed a strong normative framework on women’s rights and gender equality, including the Gender Policy, Supplementary Act and accompanying Roadmap. It has also adopted policies addressing specific rights areas, such as the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan of Action for Combatting Obstetric Fistula in West Africa. Regarding peace and security, ECOWAS has not only implemented a Regional Action Plan but also strengthened measures to combat sexual violence in conflict and promoted women in mediation and peace negotiations.425 ECOWAS also facilitated the creation of the Mano River Women’s Peace Network in May 2003, to attempt to bring peace to West Africa, gathering women’s organisations from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.426 ECOWAS has also built a critical gender infrastructure to promote and secure women and girls’ rights and gender equality, such as through the EGDC and the regional advocacy network. Through its institutions, ECOWAS has promoted and ensured gender mainstreaming. Of particular importance in promoting women and girls’ rights is the ECOWAS Court of Justice. An individual whose human rights have been violated can file a complaint with the Court directly. In other words, if an individual cannot or is not willing to have a complaint processed in their home country, he or she can access justice regionally and is not required to pursue justice nationally.427 In 2018, ECOWAS clarified that there was no time limit related to filing a complaint in relation to human rights violations.428 While ECOWAS has made notable strides, challenges remain. First, there is a lack of political will among some members to implement and domesticate agreed gender frameworks. Second, ECOWAS’ ability to monitor compliance has been constrained. Third, conservative social attitudes and gender norms, customary law and cultural practices complicate matters on SRHR, harmful practices and GBV and challenge the realisation of women and girls’ rights among the ECOWAS members.429
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