The Department of Human Development and Social Affairs Organises a High-Level Dialogue on the Future of Women and Youth in the Region in Governance, Peace, Security and Regional Integration.

The Department of Human Development and Social Affairs (DHAS), through the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG), is organising a high-level consultative dialogue on the theme “Women and young people in governance, peace, security and regional integration”, from 2 to 4 March 2026 in Saly-Portudal, Republic of Senegal. The objective of this meeting is to generate discussions on the best strategies for mobilising and promoting the role of women and young people in peace, security and the economic and social integration of ECOWAS.

This dialogue is part of the overall celebration of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary through the initiative known as the ‘Summit on the Future of West Africa’ and is supported by several ECOWAS departments and institutions.

This initiative has the support and participation of several technical partners, experts and regional civil society organisations working in the field of gender and youth promotion, including the Ford Foundation, the World Bank, GIZ, the UN, the EU, the ILO, IC-MPD, AFBD, the Spanish Government, KAIPTC, FBA and bilateral donors.

This consultative dialogue stems from the observation that women and young people make a low contribution to the development dynamics of the ECOWAS region despite their significant demographic weight (66% young people and 52% women). Based on the evidence that there is a correlation between a country’s human capital development (HCD) performance and its development, this dialogue aims to examine the key issues that influence the achievement of the objectives of Pillar 5 of VISION 2050, which aims to make ECOWAS a community of peoples that is fully inclusive of women, young people and children.

The challenge of organising this consultative dialogue is to rethink governance around the emergence of a new citizenship that values community life, the repositioning of the role of women and young people in responding to identity crises, and a policy of economic and social inclusion and protection that takes into account the needs of women, children, families, displaced persons, refugees and persons with disabilities.

The opening ceremony of the meeting featured two speeches. In her welcome address, the ECOWAS Resident Representative in the Republic of Senegal, Her Excellency Ms Zelma Yollande NOBRE FASSINOU, emphasised that this consultation marks a turning point in the Community’s journey as part of the celebrations of ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary, providing an opportunity to take a critical and constructive look at the future of the region.

She reiterated ECOWAS’ commitment to promoting the contribution and crucial role played by women and young people in West Africa. ‘Your contributions will be presented to ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to support our ambition to build a fully integrated West African region where women and young people are promoted to a peaceful, integrated, inclusive and discrimination-free environment and benefit from the rights and opportunities offered by this great Community of destiny,’ she told the assembled experts.

In officially opening the proceedings, the Honourable Commissioner Prof. Fatou SOW SARR emphasised that the challenge of this consultative dialogue is to move beyond preconceived ideas and outdated certainties and confront them with the cutting-edge knowledge possessed by the experts present. She stated that today’s meeting aims to project current trends into the future in order to identify opportunities and, above all, future risks. ‘Together, during these proceedings, let us aspire to make this summit the starting point for a new dynamic,’ concluded Prof. Fatou SOW SARR.

As a reminder, this consultative dialogue is part of the preparations for the Summit on the Future of West Africa, which aims to take gender issues into account in policies and translate them into concrete programmes in our member states of the Community.