ECOWAS Parliament has urged West African lawmakers to intensify efforts toward advancing financial inclusion for women and supporting female entrepreneurship to drive economic empowerment in the region. This call was made by ECOWAS Parliament Speaker Memounatou Ibrahima during the closing ceremony of the Third Extraordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar held in Lomé, Togo.

Ibrahima emphasized the parliament’s commitment to tackling the numerous challenges faced by women in West Africa, highlighting the critical role of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) in representing these issues. At the event, ECOFEPA organized a symposium themed “Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment of Women in the ECOWAS Sub-region,” focusing on key areas such as access to bank accounts, loans, and investment opportunities for women.

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“It is clear that women are agents of change, and their contributions are vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Ibrahima stated. She stressed that financial inclusion for women must go beyond merely accessing financial services, advocating for it to be recognized as a fundamental human right and a pillar of economic equality.

The speaker also pointed out that overcoming the barriers to women’s financial empowerment requires the collective effort of society to drive equitable policies that foster gender equity.

Veronica Sesay, President of ECOFEPA, reinforced the importance of investment in women, noting that empowering them financially would lead to a more prosperous and fair society. “Entrepreneurship is the gateway to women’s financial independence,” Sesay remarked, calling for more resources to support women in becoming economically self-reliant.

Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, former Liberian Vice President and Secretary General of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, encouraged West African women to leverage global initiatives, such as the International Business Leaders’ Global Task Force to Empower One Million Women in Trade. She noted that closing the gender gap in financial access could generate a significant increase in global GDP.