ECOWAS urged to remove barriers to women’s participation in global trade

Member nations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are being advised to adopt policies that eliminate the obstacles hindering women entrepreneurs from engaging fully in global trade. Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, highlighted barriers such as limited access to finance and digital technologies that continue to impede the expansion of women-owned businesses.

She emphasized that fostering a conducive environment for women entrepreneurs would enable them to flourish in the region and compete robustly on the international stage. Dr Lartey made this appeal during the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) Executive Masterclass, held in Accra, under the theme "Advancing Women’s Participation in Global Trade for Political Readiness and Export Opportunities in the ECOWAS Region."

This event was part of the proceedings for the Second ECOWAS Parliamentary Seminar and Extraordinary Session, which commenced on Monday and concluded on Saturday. In a speech delivered by her Legal Adviser, Ms Nelly Bernice Wallace, Dr Lartey stated that while women across the sub-region contribute significantly to economic growth, they persistently face barriers that stifle their development.

"We must shift from perceiving women mainly as recipients of economic programs to actively positioning them as producers, exporters, investors, innovators, and decision-makers," she asserted. She advocated for the creation of supportive ecosystems that would enable women-led businesses to institutionalize, expand, compete effectively, and participate comprehensively in regional and global value chains.

Dr Lartey disclosed that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is collaborating with various stakeholders to enhance economic prospects for women and girls via the National Gender Policy 2025–2030 framework. She posited that converting economic policy commitments into concrete and enduring enhancements in women's livelihoods and enterprises necessitates enhanced cooperation among institutions.

She recommended bolstering the skills of women entrepreneurs, broadening their access to financial resources, and instituting enduring measures to alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic's adverse effects on women entrepreneurs. She also stressed the importance of adequately equipping women to participate effectively in trade and guaranteeing them equal access to digital tools and technologies.

Mrs Adjaratou Traore Coulibaly, the Second Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, who represented the Speaker, Mrs Memounatou Ibrahima, emphasized that empowering women in trade would allow them to attain economic autonomy and make significant contributions to development. Mrs Zainab Gimba, the First Vice-President of ECOFEPA, urged women across West Africa to convert burgeoning trade prospects into enduring businesses, jobs, and heightened economic influence.

Mrs Hamadou Karidio, the Head of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat Liaison Office, urged ECOWAS member states to ratify the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade to fully benefit from the AfCFTA agreement. She identified non-tariff barriers, limited access to finance, inadequate aggregate data, complex customs procedures, and high transportation costs as some of the hurdles confronting women in trade.

Mrs Comfort Doyoe, the Chairperson of the Women’s Caucus of the Parliament of Ghana and MP for Ada, implored women legislators to champion policies that remove barriers to women's participation in trade.