A training workshop on gender-sensitive leadership, jointly organized by the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG) and the Folke Bernadotte Academy, has brought together senior officials from the regional organization with the aim of driving sustainable transformation within its institutions.

Speaking at the event, the Swedish Ambassador to Senegal, Katharina Kaplan, reaffirmed her country's long-standing commitment to gender equality and the "Women, Peace, and Security" agenda. She emphasized that all meaningful change begins with leaders.

"All change starts with individuals. We need leaders who can use their positions to drive genuine and lasting change within their organizations," she stressed.

She also highlighted the importance of creating environments conducive to the natural integration of gender issues into institutional policies, praising the high caliber of the workshop's participants.

For Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, Director of the CCDG, this training marks a significant milestone. It represents a first-time collaboration with the Folke Bernadotte Academy and directly targets the highest levels of ECOWAS leadership.

"We have brought together the top tier of management, including resident representatives and the Secretary-General, to initiate deep-seated change," she explained.

The goal is to create a momentum that will ultimately reach the highest decision-making spheres, including heads of state. This internal approach aims to strengthen institutional coherence before extending actions to member states.

Sandra Oulaté Fattoh underscored the multiplier effect of gender-sensitive leadership.

"When it is integrated into an organization, it positively impacts all development programs," she said.

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, welcomed the timely initiative, given a concerning context of regression in the rights of women and girls.

She reiterated that female leadership is a strategic lever for governance, innovation, and sustainable development in West Africa. Despite progress, women continue to face structural barriers, notably their low representation in decision-making bodies.

To address this, ECOWAS is deploying several structured programs, including: a Gender Equality Label for public institutions, excellence scholarships for young girls in technical training, political parity initiatives, and a gender equality index.

Beyond training, this workshop is designed to be a genuine catalyst for change. The participants, drawn from the highest levels of responsibility, are expected to become key agents of transformation within their institutions.

The ambition is to establish a proactive organizational culture that fully integrates gender considerations into public policies and daily practices.

"These skills are not an abstract ideal, but operational levers for building a more effective and truly progressive ECOWAS," the Commissioner affirmed.