Nigerian ECOWAS Parliament member, Blessing Onu, has called on the regional Parliament to prioritize projects that provide greater support for women and girls in the community.
Onu emphasised the need for this focus, noting that women are often the most impacted by floods and conflicts in West Africa.
She referenced the recent floods in Maiduguri, Borno State, which affected over one million people due to the breach of the Alau Dam, and similar flood reports from the Niger Republic.
Onu made this appeal during a Committee of Conference meeting chaired by Speaker Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima.
The meeting is coming ahead of the commencement of the 2024 third Extra-Ordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar on Tuesday, September 24 in Lomé, Togo.
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Hon. Onu said the Parliamentary Committee on Women and Gender is disturbed about the plight of the civilian population already affected by the protracted conflict in the region.
She added that women are the biggest victims of the floods and other conflicts that afflict the region, even as she called for more budgetary provisions to enhance gender-based projects.
The regional parliamentarians hope that “Empowering Women through Financial Inclusion”, the theme of the much-expected symposium that will be organized by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) on October 1, 2024, will help in addressing the challenges women face in accessing financial services and promote economic empowerment.
Unlocking women’s potential and driving regional development has been the focus of ECOFEPA in its ceaseless drive to enhance the status of women in the region.
The Parliament will also organize capacity building for the Sixth Legislature, the orientation seminar on the functioning of Parliament for Members of the new Sixth Legislature, which will precede the Extra-Ordinary session. The objective is to improve understanding of ECOWAS institutions and equip Members with the necessary information to fully represent the people of the sub-region.
According to the Speaker, “The seminar will enable our new Members to hit the ground running, making informed decisions that benefit our citizens.”
The session will also examine the level of implementation of the Parliament’s 2023 budget as well as the mid-term budget for the 2024 financial year. “This review is crucial in ensuring that our budget aligns with the region’s development goals,” a statement issued by the communications division of the sub-regional Parliament said.
Additionally, the session will consider and adopt the Community Parliament’s 2025 draft budget.
“We must prioritise strategic planning to drive economic growth and development in our region,” the statement added.