Politics
A HEADQUARTERS agreement between Benin and the West African Network of Young Women Leaders, ROAJELF, is about to be signed, thanks to the support of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
The announcement was made on Thursday, November 23, 2017 in Cotonou, Benin by Bintou Chabi Adam Taro, the country’s minister for Social Affairs and Microfinance, at the regional forum on issues and challenges of young women in the enhancement of women’s movement in West Africa.
The meeting was attended by young ROAJELF women delegates from the 15 Member States of ECOWAS, and provided a forum for discussion on various issues.
Aside from the validation of the network’s programme of activities and operational guide, discussions were held on youth involvement in expediting the attainment of demographic dividend across African countries.
The meeting also dwelt on the promotion of gender and support for initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting women, in view of their actual contribution to sustainable human development.
Discussions also centred on the role of ROAJELF in the region; and that within the framework of project “50 Million African Women Speak”. The project was initiated by the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, EGDC, a specialised agency of the regional organisation’s commission, based in Dakar Senegal.
In Cotonou members of ROAJELF also decided to be fully engaged, at Member State level, in the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence; a global-scale initiative launched by UN-Women.
It is worth noting that ROAJELF is a network set up by the EGDC for the promotion of young women’s rights.
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has pledged support for the Ghanaian, Prof Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu for the post of Judge (on list A) at the International Criminal Court, ICC.
Marcel de Souza, the president of the commission of the regional organisation, stated this on Friday, November 24, 2017 in Abuja, Nigeria, while speaking with Edward Mahama, Special Envoy of the Ghanaian Head of State, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He promised to inform and request the support of ECOWAS Member States and the African Union for the candidacy of Mensa-Bonsu for the post, despite the late announcement of the candidacy.
He urged the Special Envoy of the Ghanaian president to ask President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to make a case for the Ghanaian candidate before his African and European counterparts at the 5th African Union-European Union Summit scheduled for 29 – 30 November 2017 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
“I will engage in necessary advocacy and lobbying with ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to support your candidacy, despite the fact that time is short because of the late announcement of your candidacy, given that the next West African Heads of State Summit will be held on December 16, 2017, ˮ he said.
Elections for ICC judges will be held from 4 to 14 December 2017, at the 16th session of the Assembly of States Parties, which will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.
Apart from the Ghanaian Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, on list A, the Beninese Reine Alapini Gansou is also a candidate for the post of judge at the ICC, but on list B.
Marcel de Souza expressed the hope to see the two candidates from the Community appointed to the positions which will be an honour to ECOWAS. He hoped that in future, West African citizens vying for positions will announce their candidacies well in advance.
– Nov. 28, 2017 @ 18:42 GMT
Tags: Benin West African Network of Young Women Leaders to sign Agreement Bintou Chabi Adam Taro Marcel de Souza Prof Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu
