By Gloria Ikibah
The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been urged to prioritize projects that support women and girls, especially in light of the devastating floods and conflicts affecting parts of the West African sub-region.
This call was made by Nigerian Member of Parliament, Hon. Blessing Onu during the Committee of Conference meeting, presided over by Speaker of the Parliament, Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, ahead of the 2024 Extra-Ordinary Session and Parliamentary Seminar in Lomé, Togo.
Naijablitznews.com reports that in Borno state Nigeria, heavy rainfall and the breaching of Alau Dam on September 10 caused severe flooding in Maiduguri, leaving over one million people affected, displacing more than 414,000 and destroying homes and crops. This disaster has worsened the food insecurity in the region. Similar flooding in Niger Republic has also affected over one million people, with over 300 deaths reported.
Hon. Onu stated that women are the most affected by these floods and other conflicts in the region. She therefore advocated for more funding to support gender-based projects that can provide relief to women and help rebuild their lives.
“Women are the biggest victims of these disasters and conflicts,” she said.
In response to these challenges, the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) plans to host a symposium on October 1, 2024, with the theme: “Empowering Women through Financial Inclusion.”
This event aims to address the barriers women face in accessing financial services and promote their economic empowerment. ECOFEPA has consistently worked to uplift women and drive regional development by enhancing their financial and social status.
The upcoming parliamentary session will also include a capacity-building seminar for the new members of the Sixth Legislature. This training is to enable new members understand the workings of ECOWAS institutions and ensure they are better equipped to represent the people of the sub-region.
“The seminar will allow our new members to make informed decisions that benefit our citizens,” Speaker Ibrahima said.
Additionally, the session will review the implementation of the 2023 budget and discuss the mid-term 2024 budget. It will also consider the draft budget for 2025. “Strategic planning is key to driving economic growth and development in our region,” a statement from the ECOWAS Parliament’s communications division said.
Members of Parliament stressed the importance of supporting gender-based initiatives to help the region recover from these crises while ensuring that future budgets align with long-term development goals.