By Alex Adi
The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) has launched the ECOWAS Gender Observatory (ECOGO) and the EGDC’s programmes in Ghana. The launch of the programme took place in Accra with support from USAID’s Strengthening Regional Peace and Stability (SRPS) in West Africa Programme, UNDP, and GIZ.
The ECOWAS Gender Observatory is a regional digital platform for the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of ECOWAS gender programmes, projects and activities in member States as well as a gender statistics database on the state of gender equality and women’s empowerment in ECOWAS member States. As part of the EGDC’s Gender programmes, a cheque for USD245,000 was presented to the Republic of Ghana for the Obstetric Fistula programme.
In 2024, ECOWAS is providing funding support to 8 Member States to contribute towards the eradication of obstetric Fistula from the ECOWAS region. The funds are meant for the four (4) key components of the Fistula programme; surgical repair of women and girls suffering from obstetric Fistula, the socio-economic reintegration of Fistula survivors into their communities, sensitization campaigns on the causes and prevention of obstetric fistula, and the rehabilitation of national Fistula referral centres.
Obstetric fistula afflicts millions of women in developing countries. Statistics indicate that every year; between fifty to one hundred thousand women develop new obstetric fistulas. Health analysts say Obstetric fistula is associated with devastating lifelong morbidity with severe medical, social, psychological and economic consequences. If left untreated, obstetric fistula can cause chronic incontinence which leads to a range of other physical ailments including frequent infections, kidney disease, painful sores and infertility.
ECOWAS, through the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, EGDC, listed the fight against obstetric fistula as a priority area of intervention in connection with SDG 3 and SDG 5 which relate respectively to women’s health and gender equality. A large-scale program “Medical and financial support for women and girls suffering from obstetric fistula in ECOWAS member States” has since been rolled out in 14 countries. The main objective of the Medical and Financial Support Program for the Care of Victims of Obstetric Fistula in ECOWAS Member States is to improve access to health and socioeconomic care for girls and women suffering from disease in order to enable them to lead a productive and useful life and to contribute to the development of the ECOWAS region.
