The ECOWAS Parliament has urged regional MPs to increase efforts to ensure West African women’s financial inclusion and investments that promote female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
Memounatou Ibrahima, Speaker of Parliament, made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.
Ibrahima addressed at the conclusion of the Third Extraordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar in Lome, Togo.
She stated that the parliament was committed to resolving the numerous difficulties confronting West African women, who are represented by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), to conclude the event, ECOFEPA organized a symposium with the theme “Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment of Women in the ECOWAS Subregion”.
According to Ibrahima, member nations should guarantee that women have access to the resources they require, including as bank accounts, loans, and investment possibilities, so that they can reach their full potential.
“It is apparent that women are change agents, and they must be supported in their critical role if we are to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Our collective responsibility is therefore to ensure that financial inclusion of women is not limited to access to financial services, but we must ensure it becomes a fundamental human right and a pillar of economic equality.
“Clearly the path to true financial inclusion and economic empowerment calls for concerted efforts of all members of the society to drive policies that will foster equity to enable women overcome the obstacles facing them,” the speaker said.
Ibrahima acknowledged that the journey to financial inclusion and economic empowerment was long, and he urged intensive campaigning for equitable possibilities that would allow women’s entrepreneurship to flourish.
“Let us commit ourselves to the path where every woman will realise her full potential, where economic barriers are eliminated and financial inclusion is a reality for all.
“This is how we can break the chain of poverty within our families and communities,” she said.
Also speaking, President of ECOFEPA, Veronica Sesay, said that investment and financial inclusion for women would make the subregion more prosperous and egalitarian, devoid of oppression and discrimination against women.
“Entrepreneurship is the gateway to women’s financial redemption.
“ECOFEPA is pushing for more financial resources that will empower women to be economically independent and to pursue their political aspirations,“ Sesay said.
Dr Jewel Howard-Taylor, former Liberian Vice President and Secretary General of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, believes that women should use the Global Task Force to empower one million women in the trade industry.
According to her, the task group, which is an initiative of the International Business Leaders in Washington, has increased opportunities for West African women to gain.
Howard-Taylor also asked regional authorities to ensure that West African women had access to loans to expand their companies.
“Closing the gender gap will trigger a 3 trillion dollars GDP growth rate around the globe,” she said, quoting a report
