Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will host a high-level forum on zero tolerance for gender-based violence for the First Ladies of the Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus (SWEDD+) countries from April 14 to 16, 2026, in Banjul, The Gambia.
The regional gathering is expected to bring together First Ladies and key stakeholders to reinforce collective action against gender-based violence (GBV) and advance the rights and welfare of women and girls across West and Central Africa.
Ahead of the forum, a technical mission led by the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Human Development and Social Affairs was conducted in Banjul from January 26 to 30, 2026.
The mission was organised in collaboration with the West African Health Organization (WAHO) and the Gambian authorities as part of preparatory activities for the event.
The mission forms part of the implementation framework of the regional SWEDD+ project, a World Bank-supported initiative designed to empower women and adolescent girls while addressing structural drivers of gender inequality, including gender-based violence, across participating countries in West and Central Africa.
The delegation comprised representatives from relevant government ministries, the Office of the First Lady, and technical and financial partners, as well as members of the national organizing committees.
Over the five-day engagement, the team assessed The Gambia’s level of readiness to host the forum, identified operational and coordination challenges, and finalized the technical, logistical, and institutional arrangements required for the smooth conduct of the meeting.
The upcoming forum is expected to consolidate regional advocacy around zero tolerance for GBV, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and elevate the role of First Ladies as strategic champions in the fight against violence targeting women and girls.
By leveraging the SWEDD+ platform, ECOWAS aims to institutionalize high-level political commitment and translate it into measurable policy and programmatic outcomes in member states.
