The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG) has convened the third meeting of its Regional Coordination Committee for the Medical and Financial Support Programme for Women and Girls Affected by Obstetric Fistula. The event, held in Abidjan, reaffirms the West African bloc’s unwavering commitment to advancing women’s health and reproductive rights across the region.
According to a statement released by the ECOWAS Directorate of Communication, the meeting marks a pivotal milestone in the implementation of the CCDG’s 2025 Fistula Programme. The initiative aims to combat obstetric fistula — a debilitating childbirth-related condition that continues to impact thousands of women and girls annually in West Africa.
New National Programmes to Launch in Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone
The latest phase of the programme will see the introduction of national-level initiatives in Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. These efforts are designed to provide both medical and financial support for fistula survivors, while strengthening public health systems to prevent future cases.
In 2023, ECOWAS extended similar support to eight member states, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo. The current meeting will evaluate the progress of these initiatives and review new proposals submitted by beneficiary countries under the 2025 action plan.
Health Advocacy Aligned with ECOWAS 50th Anniversary
The gathering also coincides with the ongoing celebrations of ECOWAS’s 50th Anniversary. As part of its Golden Jubilee activities, the CCDG will partner with the UNFPA Regional Office for West and Central Africa to host a commemorative event and webinar to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.
The virtual event, themed “Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future Without Fistula,” aims to raise awareness about the urgent need to eradicate the condition and promote reproductive health rights for women and girls throughout the region.
Strengthening Regional Health and Gender Equality Commitments
The CCDG reaffirmed its mission to support ECOWAS member states in eliminating obstetric fistula through a combination of coordinated health interventions, gender-responsive policy reforms, and increased access to both medical care and financial aid for affected women and girls.
Obstetric fistula remains one of the most pressing reproductive health challenges in West Africa, and ECOWAS’s expanded regional response demonstrates a vital step toward safeguarding women’s health rights and improving maternal care outcomes.
