CCDG AND OTHER AGENCIES ON THE WATER-ENERGY-FOOD NEXUS WITH GENDER INTEGRATION, IN COLLABORATION WITH UN WOMEN, ENDORSE AN INTEGRATED AND STRUCTURING REGIONAL PROGRAM ON GENDER, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GREEN ECONOMY.
"The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECGDD) and other specialized agencies working on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus with a gender focus, in collaboration with UN Women, held a meeting from May 15 to 16, 2026, at the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to validate a new Integrated Regional Programme on Gender, Climate Change, […]"
The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECGDD) and other specialized agencies working on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus with a gender focus, in collaboration with UN Women, held a meeting from May 15 to 16, 2026, at the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
This meeting aimed to validate a new Integrated Regional Programme on Gender, Climate Change, and the Green Economy. The programme aims to strengthen and expand regional efforts to address the priorities of Member States, while supporting the implementation and financing of the ECOWAS Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change.
The overall objective of the meeting was to finalize the strategic document for the regional program and to establish a roadmap for its implementation.
The official opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Louis Philippe GOLI, Chief of Staff representing His Excellency the Minister Delegate for African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. Other attendees included the Resident Representative of UN Women in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission, the Representative of the Minister of Women, Family and Children, and the Coordinator of the ECOWAS National Office in Côte d’Ivoire.
Also participating were representatives from ECOWAS specialized agencies, including the CCDG, CGRE, PPDU, and CEREEC, as well as the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of the Environment.
In her welcoming remarks, the Director of the CCDG, Ms. Sandra OULATÉ FATTOH, noted that climate action and the ecological transition present both risks and opportunities for women and girls in West Africa.
It is with this in mind that gender-sensitive programs and policies have been implemented by the CCDG, with technical and financial support from the UN Women Regional Office for West and Central Africa, to actively support governments and civil society.
This collaboration is now being translated into concrete action with the ECOWAS Integrated Regional Program on Gender, Climate Change, and the Green Economy. This program aims to strengthen and expand regional efforts to address the priorities of Member States, while supporting the implementation and financing of the ECOWAS Action Plan on Gender and the Green Economy.
The UN Women Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Ms. Adjaratou Fatou Ndiaye, highlighted the quality of the collaboration between the CCDG and UN Women, which dates back to 2003 and has led to significant achievements in terms of equality and empowerment for women and girls in the region.
"The workshop starting today represents the final stage in the development of an integrated regional program – a program that embodies a paradigm shift: moving from political discourse to concrete action in addressing the challenges of climate change and the green economy faced by women and girls in the region." — Ms. Adjaratou Fatou Ndiaye, UN Women Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire
Dr. Namizata BINATÉ, representing the Minister of Women, Family, and Children, noted that gender-sensitive climate action is a key lever for strengthening women’s resilience, improving their living conditions, and facilitating their access to new economic opportunities created by the ecological transition.
The green economy offers significant prospects in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, agri-food processing, waste management, recycling, and green technologies. She is therefore convinced that this regional program will contribute to strengthening the resilience of populations and promoting inclusive green growth that creates opportunities for women and young people.
"Investing in women and supporting their leadership in the green economy means investing in more resilient communities, more sustainable growth, and a better future for West Africa." — Dr. Namizata BINATÉ, representing the Minister of Women, Family, and Children
The Honorable Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Kalilou Sylla, emphasized that this workshop is at the crossroads of shared priorities for economic and sustainable development for women and girls in the region. It focuses on the strategic issues of climate change and the green economy.
Given the urgency of these issues, the challenge now is to move from the paradigm of political rhetoric and institutional mobilization to concrete and impactful actions on the ground.
"The green transition will only succeed if it is inclusive. It must offer decent jobs and real opportunities to our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters, who are the true guardians of our environment." — Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Honorable Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission
The Chief of Staff to the Minister Delegate for African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, Mr. Louis Philippe GOLI, affirmed that the implementation of this Integrated Regional Program ECOWAS on Gender, Climate Change, and the Green Economy is of paramount importance to the region.
Equitable access for women to green economic opportunities, financing, and employment, and their contribution to sustainable, resilient, and inclusive regional economies, is a priority for the region’s governments. It is therefore crucial to have a common and concerted approach to the challenges related to this issue, at both the national and regional levels.
This is all the more necessary because the future of the community depends on the collective capacity to strengthen and expand regional efforts to address the priorities of Member States, while supporting the implementation and financing of the ECOWAS Action Plan on Gender and the Green Economy.
"Our governments must have the capacity, tools, and resources necessary to adopt, implement, and finance inclusive and gender-sensitive programs and policy reforms. This is the challenge we must address together today to build a prosperous and resilient West Africa." — Mr. Louis Philippe GOLI, Chief of Staff to the Minister Delegate for African Integration and Ivorians Abroad
This meeting enabled ECOWAS agencies and directorates involved in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus with a gender focus, along with their technical and financial partner UN Women, to make significant progress in finalizing the development of this program. They also defined realistic parameters in terms of budget, intervention areas, and institutional roles.
During the working session of the specialized agencies of ECOWAS on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus with Gender integration, which will be held from June 29 to July 6, 2026, in Lomé, Togolese Republic, the final project document with a rigorous roadmap for rapid and efficient implementation is to be validated.
Deep Analysis
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Key Impact
- A new regional program endorsed by ECOWAS, UN Women, and the CCDG will directly link gender equality with climate action and green economy initiatives across West Africa, including Ghana.
- The program aims to shift from policy discussions to concrete projects that create new economic opportunities for women in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and green technologies.
- Ghanaian women in farming, agri-processing, and energy sectors stand to gain improved access to financing, training, and markets through this integrated regional framework.
Background
- The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG), based in Ghana, has collaborated with UN Women since 2003, achieving notable progress in women’s empowerment and gender-sensitive policies in the region.
- On May 15–16, 2026, specialized agencies including the CCDG, CGRE, PPDU, and CEREEC met in Abidjan to validate the new Integrated Regional Programme on Gender, Climate Change, and the Green Economy.
- This program supports the ECOWAS Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change, aiming to address member states’ priorities while ensuring that climate and green economy policies are designed with women’s needs in mind.
Benefits
- Ghanaian women in agriculture will benefit from targeted training and resources to adopt climate-smart practices, improving crop yields and resilience to droughts or floods.
- The program will help women access green jobs in renewable energy sectors like solar, bioenergy, and waste-to-energy, particularly in rural areas of the Northern and Upper East regions.
- By integrating gender into water-energy-food nexus planning, the initiative aims to reduce women’s time spent on fuel and water collection, freeing them for income-generating activities.
Risks & Warnings
- Without strong monitoring and enforcement, program benefits may not reach the most vulnerable women in Ghana, especially those in remote farming communities or without formal land rights.
- If funding is inadequate or delayed, pilot projects in regions like the Volta or Bono East could stall, undermining women’s trust and participation.
- There is a risk that green economy investments in Ghana (e.g., solar farms) may displace smallholder women farmers if inclusive planning processes are not rigorously followed.
Who Is Affected
- Women smallholder farmers, especially those in Ghana’s Northern, Upper East, and Volta regions, who are most vulnerable to climate change and rely on rain-fed agriculture.
- Ghanaian women entrepreneurs in agri-processing, renewable energy, and waste management sectors, who will gain new opportunities for skills development and market access.
- ECOWAS agencies, Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the National Development Planning Commission, which will implement and coordinate the program at the national level.
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