The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG) launched its third Regional Coordination Committee meeting in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from May 21–23, 2025, to advance medical and financial support for women and girls affected by obstetric fistula in West Africa.
The gathering focuses on reviewing progress from 2023 initiatives in eight member states—Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo—while validating new projects for Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.
Held during ECOWAS’ 50th-anniversary preparations, the meeting aligns with the bloc’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, culminating in a May 23 commemoration day. Concurrently, the CCDG and UNFPA’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa will host a webinar titled “Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future Without Fistula” to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.
The 2023 CCDG program allocated resources to over 2,000 fistula repair surgeries and preventive care campaigns. For 2025, the committee aims to expand access to treatment, strengthen healthcare systems, and address socio-economic barriers for survivors. “This regional collaboration underscores our commitment to eradicating a preventable condition that disproportionately impacts marginalized women,” stated a CCDG representative.
Obstetric fistula, often caused by prolonged childbirth without medical care, affects an estimated 50,000–100,000 women globally annually. ECOWAS’ program, launched in 2021, targets reducing fistula prevalence by 40% across member states by 2030.
