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Human rights

Harmonized Approaches to Address Violence Against Women and Girls in West Africa

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) is spearheading a regional and intergenerational movement against Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) sub-region. The movement aims to shape the future of women's rights advocacy across the region, with a focus on addressing the persistence of violence, weak enforcement of laws, and the lack of harmonized regional approaches. The conference, supported by the ACT project funded by UN Women and the European Union, brought together representatives from Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and Sierra Leone to review policies, share best practices, and co-develop a regional advocacy strategy.

Key Takeaways:

  • The WIPF is leading a regional and intergenerational movement against VAWG in the ECOWAS sub-region, aiming to shape the future of women's rights advocacy across the region.
  • Despite progress in putting in place policies to address VAWG, the persistence of violence, weak enforcement of laws, and lack of harmonized regional approaches continue to put millions of women and girls at risk.
  • The conference has representation from six countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, Sierra Leone, and highlighted the need for a unified regional approach to address VAWG.
  • The forum's president, Barr. Ebere Ifendu, emphasized that the conference will review policies, share best practices, and co-develop a regional advocacy strategy that places women's rights firmly at the center of decision-making.
  • The conference aims to influence both national parliaments and the ECOWAS Parliament, with clear priorities, unified messages, and practical actions that can be taken forward.
  • The Sierra Leonean Minister of Gender and Children's Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, commended the WIPF for hosting the conference in Sierra Leone and emphasized the efforts made by the country in addressing VAWG through legislative frameworks.
  • The minister highlighted the passage of three gender-responsive legislations in 2007, the Sexual Offences Act of 2012, and its amendment in 2019, which provides a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for perpetrators of rape and sexual penetration of minors.
  • The conference also discussed the challenges of addressing VAWG in a predominantly patriarchal society with limited capacity to enforce and implement existing legislative frameworks.
  • Development partners stressed that enforcement remains the biggest hurdle in the elimination of VAWG, and urged ECOWAS countries to unite in a strong sub-regional coalition against gender-based violence.

Statistics:

  • The conference had representation from six countries in the ECOWAS sub-region: Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and Sierra Leone.
  • The three gender-responsive legislations passed in 2007 in Sierra Leone were the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act, Domestic Violence Act, and Devolution of Estate Act.
  • The Sexual Offences Act of 2012 was amended in 2019 to provide a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for perpetrators of rape and sexual penetration of minors.
  • The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act was passed in 2024 in Sierra Leone, prohibiting marriages of all types for persons under 18.
  • The conference highlighted the need for a unified regional approach to address VAWG, with clear priorities, unified messages, and practical actions that can be taken forward.

Sources:

  • The Women in Politics Forum (WIPF)
  • UN Women
  • European Union
  • ACT project
  • The Minister of Gender and Children's Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi
  • The Vice Chairman of the International Democrate Union (IDU), Ghana, Peter Mac Manu
  • Development Consultant and immediate past Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi
  • The Sierra Leonean Government
  • The ECOWAS Commission

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