The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has been called upon to intensify efforts in promoting projects that support women and girls affected by floods and conflicts in the region.
Member of Parliament, Blessing Onu from Nigeria, raised this critical issue on Monday during the Committee of Conference meeting presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, ahead of the commencement of the 2024 third Extra-Ordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar on Tuesday, September 24, in Lomé, Togo.
The recent floods in Borno State, Nigeria, and Niger Republic have left devastating consequences. In Borno State, the Alau Dam breached its banks on September 10, causing flooding in Maiduguri city, resulting in hundreds of deaths and massive damage. Over 1 million people were affected, and more than 414,000 people were displaced, with many houses and crops destroyed.
Similarly, authorities in Niger Republic have registered over 1 million people affected by floods, with over 300 reported deaths.
Hon. Onu, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Women and Gender, expressed concern about the plight of the civilian population already affected by the protracted conflict in the region. She emphasized that women are the biggest victims of the floods and other conflicts that afflict the region.
“The women and girls are the most vulnerable in our community, and it is our responsibility as parliamentarians to ensure that their needs are met,” Hon. Onu said.
She called for more budgetary provisions to enhance gender-based projects, stressing that empowering women is crucial to regional development.
The regional parliamentarians hope that the theme of the upcoming symposium, “Empowering Women through Financial Inclusion,” organized by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) on October 1, 2024, will help address 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, an orientation seminar on the functioning of Parliament for Members of the new Sixth Legislature, which will precede the Extra-Ordinary session.
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 prioritize strategic planning to drive economic growth and development in our region,” the statement added.
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