By Muhammad Amaan
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has called on regional parliamentarians to step up efforts towards ensuring West African women’s financial inclusion and investments to promote female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
ECOWAS Parliament’s Speaker Memounatou Ibrahima spoke at the closing ceremony of the parliament’s Third Extraordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar on Wednesday in Lome, Togo.
She said that the parliament was committed to addressing the myriad challenges militating against West African women, who are represented by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA).
ECOFEPA had organised a symposium with the theme: “Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment of Women in ECOWAS subregion” to climax the event.
According to her, member states should ensure that women have access to the resources they need, such as bank accounts, loans and investment opportunities so they can realise their potential.
“It is clear that women are change agents and they should be supported in the key role that they play if we want to speed up the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“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 to overcome the obstacles facing them,” the speaker said.
Ibrahima noted that the path to financial inclusion and economic empowerment was a long process and solicited intensive advocacy for equitable opportunities that would enable women’s entrepreneurship to blossom.
“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, MP 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, said that women should leverage the Global Task Force to Empower One Million Women in the Trade Industry.
According to her, the task force, which is an initiative of the International Business Leaders in Washington has opened more possibilities for West African women to benefit from.
Howard-Taylor also urged regional leaders to ensure West African women access credit facilities to grow their businesses.
“Closing the gender gap will trigger a 3 trillion dollars GDP growth rate around the globe,” she said, quoting a report.
