Money Remains Biggest Obstacle To Women In Politics – ECOFEPA President
Access to finance remains one of the strongest barriers preventing women from fully participating in politics and leadership across West Africa, President of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), Chantal Moussokoura Fanny, has said.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the ECOFEPA Executive Masterclass Programme held at the ECOWAS Parliament International Conference Centre, the Ivorian senator stressed that women cannot drive meaningful political ambitions without economic empowerment.
The masterclass, themed “Advancing Women’s Participation in Global Trade and Export Opportunities in the ECOWAS Region,” brought together female leaders and stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening women’s economic and political inclusion.
According to Sen. Chantal, the initiative was inspired by the urgent need for women to become financially independent.
“Every woman, politician or not, needs money. We have to earn money because nobody will give us money,” she said.
She noted that the programme was designed to create dialogue among women and encourage support systems that would help more women improve their lives and political participation.
Highlighting the gender imbalance in governance, the ECOFEPA President pointed to Nigeria’s low female representation in parliament, describing the lack of funding as a major factor limiting women’s success in politics.
She also called for greater confidence in women’s abilities, insisting that women are equally capable of delivering results in leadership and governance.
On efforts to replicate successful models of women’s empowerment across West Africa, Sen. Chantal referenced countries like Senegal, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, noting that improving women’s representation is a gradual but achievable process.
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