Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — As part of its continued commitment to women’s health and empowerment, the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG) has launched a new phase of its Medical and Financial Support Programme for women and girls affected by obstetric fistula.
The development was announced during the third Regional Coordination Committee meeting, held in Abidjan, and signals the introduction of national initiatives in Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. These efforts are central to the implementation of the 2025 CCDG Fistula Programme, aimed at combating the life-altering childbirth condition that impacts thousands of women across West Africa each year.
According to a statement from the ECOWAS Directorate of Communication, this latest expansion builds on the momentum of the 2023 intervention, which provided support to eight member states, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo.
The current meeting also serves to evaluate the progress of previous interventions while reviewing and approving project proposals from the new 2025 beneficiary countries.
The gathering forms part of activities marking the 50th Anniversary of ECOWAS, with the CCDG planning a commemorative event in partnership with the UNFPA Regional Office for West and Central Africa.
To coincide with the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, a regional webinar themed “Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future without Fistula” will be hosted, aiming to raise awareness about reproductive health rights and rally collective action to eradicate the condition.
Reaffirming its mission, the CCDG emphasized its resolve to work alongside ECOWAS member states in delivering comprehensive fistula care, promoting gender-responsive health reforms, and ensuring survivors have access to treatment, rehabilitation, and financial empowerment.
By Taiwo Olatinwo | May 25, 2025
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