News
ECOWAS to roll out Gender Equality Seal across institutions next year
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-04-at-15.59.02.jpeg&description=ECOWAS to roll out Gender Equality Seal across institutions next year', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-04-at-15.59.02.jpeg&description=ECOWAS to roll out Gender Equality Seal across institutions next year', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to roll out the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions (GES-PI) initiative next year as part of intensified efforts to strengthen gender equality across the sub-region.
The initiative is expected to help public institutions under ECOWAS strengthen gender mainstreaming by assessing their performance against internationally recognised standards and implementing reforms that promote gender-responsive governance.
It is being implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), with the goal of attaining the highest “Gold Seal” certification.
The Director of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of the fourth and final regional planning meeting in Accra to finalise a comprehensive action plan for implementation across all ECOWAS institutions.
The meeting brought together all directorates and specialised institutions of the Commission, including the ECOWAS Parliament, the Community Court of Justice, the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the West African Health Organisation (WAHO).
It was to review and validate evidence gathered against the programme’s benchmarks and finalising ECOWAS’ self-assessment ahead of the implementation phase.
According to Ms Oulaté Fattoh, the initiative would assess gender equality within the Commission’s own structures, including recruitment, leadership, career progression and staff representation, to ensure the institution leads by example.
“We need to practise better what we are preaching. We implement programmes across the ECOWAS region, but within the institution we need to take a closer look at gender equality,” she said.
The framework, she explained, would examine whether women had equal access to employment opportunities and leadership positions and whether institutional systems promoted fairness, equal opportunity and shared responsibility.
“The Commission must serve as a model so that when we engage our member states on gender equality, we can point to our own institution as an example. We must practise what we preach,” she stressed.
On Ghana’s role, Ms Oulaté Fattoh commended the country for providing leadership in advancing gender equality initiatives within the region, describing it as a model of effective inter-ministerial collaboration.
She noted that Ghana’s selection to host several regional gender meetings reflected its leadership on gender issues and its role as the African Union’s gender champion.
She also praised Ghana’s long-standing implementation of ECOWAS programmes on obstetric fistula, scholarships for girls pursuing technical education and women’s agricultural empowerment.
Responding to concerns that gender equality initiatives focused disproportionately on women, Ms Oulaté Fattoh said the emphasis reflected persistent inequalities that continued to disadvantage women across West Africa.
“We are not doing well on the status of women in our region and we need to acknowledge that. We must first take deliberate steps to close those gaps before we can address other concerns,” she said.
She explained that while some ECOWAS initiatives already included boys and men, targeted interventions remained necessary to improve women’s participation in education, employment and leadership, particularly in technical and decision-making fields.
The Acting Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Commission, Muazu Umaru, said the meeting would review progress made under the Gender Equality Seal framework and agree on practical measures to support its full operationalisation across the Commission.
The GES-PI is anchored on five pillars: planning and management for gender equality, gender equality capacity, an enabling workplace environment, participation and accountability, and policy results and impact.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
Global Board Chairman of the International Youth Network for United Nations Security Council Resolution (IYNUNSCR)2250, Hopeson Yaovi Adorye, has called on young people across the world to take deliberate action in building peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Delivering the keynote address at the IYNUNSCR2250 Global Youth Assembly held in Accra over the weekend, Mr. Adorye told the gathering of youth leaders that this generation stands at a “defining moment” in history.
He noted that while the world faces rising conflicts, violent extremism, climate pressures, cybercrime, and political polarization, young people are not just victims of these crises.
“The adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 marked a historic turning point by recognizing that young people are simply victims of conflict but indispensable partners in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, mediation, reconciliation, and post-conflict recovery,” he said.
He stressed that peace cannot be taken for granted.
“Peace must be intentionally built. Peace must be protected. Peace must be sustained. More importantly, peace must include everyone,” Mr.Adorye stated.
He defined true peace as more than the absence of war, it exists where justice prevails, human rights are respected, institutions are accountable, and women and youth participate fully in decision-making.
“Without justice, peace remains fragile. Without development, peace remains temporary. Without inclusion, peace remains incomplete,” he added.
Turning to Africa, Mr.Adorye described the continent’s youthful population as its “greatest strategic asset” and not a burden.
“When governments invest in education, entrepreneurship, innovation, digital skills, healthcare, and good governance, young people become drivers of economic growth and democratic stability,” he said.
He warned that the absence of these opportunities creates frustration and conditions that threaten peace and security.
According to him, “Investing in youth is investing in peace. Investing in education is investing in national security. Investing in jobs is investing in stability.”
The Global Board Chairman urged delegates to move beyond advocacy and become practical agents of change. He challenged them to reject corruption, political violence, hate speech, tribalism, and misinformation.
“Let us use social media to educate rather than inflame. To unite rather than divide. The digital world should become a platform for peace, innovation, and global cooperation,” he said.
He further tasked IYNUNSCR2250 members to mentor vulnerable youth, promote mediation, advocate for peaceful elections, support environmental protection, and empower women and girls.
He further added that “History will judge our generation not by the challenges we inherited but by the solutions we created,” Hon. Adorye concluded. “May our voices become voices of reconciliation. May our actions become instruments of peace.”
The Assembly, hosted under the leadership of IYNUNSCR2250 Global President Her Excellency Rev. Dr. Lilian Sally Addo, brought together youth leaders, members of the Global Advisory Board, and distinguished guests to advance the youth, peace, and security agenda.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Two people have died and eight others sustained injuries following a road traffic accident at Dompoase, near Komenda on the Cape Coast-Takoradi highway on Thursday, July 31, 2026.
According to a statement from the Ghana National Fire Service, Central Region, the Komenda Fire Station received a distress call at 18:55hrs. Rescue personnel arrived at the scene 15 minutes later at 19:10hrs.
On arrival, fire officers found one person trapped in a crashed Toyota Hiace with registration number AS 6145-24.
The rescue team worked to extricate the victim, but the person was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary information indicates that 10 people were on board the Hiace at the time of the crash. Apart from the two fatalities, eight others sustained various degrees of injury.
Three of the injured were said to be in severe condition.
Personnel from the National Ambulance Service transported all the injured to the Elmina Polyclinic for medical care.
An eyewitness at the scene told officials that the accident occurred when an unidentified vehicle traveling from Takoradi towards Cape Coast* attempted to overtake another vehicle.
In an attempt to avoid a head-on collision, the Toyota Hiace, which was traveling from Cape Coast towards Takoradi, swerved and crashed into a broken-down truck with registration number GN 2491-14 that was parked by the roadside.
The Central Regional Fire Command has advised drivers to exercise patience and extra caution on the highway, especially during overtaking and in areas where broken-down vehicles may be present.
“Such incidents can be prevented if road users obey traffic regulations and remain alert,” the statement said.
The identities of the deceased have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
