Dakar: The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (CCDG) recently hosted Professor Serig-ne Magueye Gueye, President of the International Society of Obstetric Fistula Surgeons (ISOFS) and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the upcoming 10th World Congress on Obstetric Fistula, set to take place in Dakar, Senegal, from December 14-19, 2026. The meeting aimed to explore a strategic partnership to bolster regional efforts towards the elimination of obstetric fistula by 2030.
According to African Press Organization, since 2010, ECOWAS, through the CCDG, has been implementing a regional program that offers medical, social, and economic support to women and girls affected by obstetric fistula. This program integrates prevention, surgical care, socio-economic reintegration, and community advocacy. The partnership with ISOFS is seen as a crucial step in accelerating progress and sharing expertise within the region and beyond.
The 10th World Congress is expected to serve as a platform to unite policymakers, technical and financial partners, researchers, community organizations, and health professionals. The Congress aims to drive high-level advocacy, mobilize resources, and share best practices to enhance public policies and regional coordination mechanisms.
Ms. Salimata Thiam, CCDG Gender Program Officer, highlighted the achievements of the regional program and the new opportunities supported by Spanish Cooperation in C´te d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and Senegal. She emphasized the need for a holistic approach that integrates medical, psychosocial, economic, and community dimensions.
CCDG Director Ms. Sandra Oulat© Fattoh reaffirmed ECOWAS's commitment to combating obstetric fistula, noting progress since the Centre's inception in 2003. She expressed CCDG's readiness to support advocacy, training, research, and mobilization initiatives related to the Dakar Congress.
Professor Gueye commended ECOWAS's pioneering efforts and presented the strategic orientations of the Congress, focusing on prevention, education, community engagement, treatment, reintegration, and elimination. He encouraged ECOWAS to play a major role in the scientific and institutional organization of the event, ensuring the visibility of regional achievements.
The discussions underscored a strong agreement between CCDG and ISOFS on the necessity for a multisectoral response. Both parties decided to formalize an institutional partnership, involving CCDG in Congress structures, co-developing the scientific program, and highlighting ECOWAS-supported experiences. They also emphasized capacity building, operational research, evidence generation, and high-level political mobilization.
As the meeting concluded, CCDG and ISOFS committed to drafting a joint action plan that includes CCDG's participation in the organizing committee, strategic panels, an ECOWAS exhibition space, and communication and advocacy activities to engage member states and international partners.
This collaboration marks a significant step in reinforcing cooperation between ECOWAS and ISOFS to expedite the elimination of obstetric fistula in West Africa. It reflects a shared commitment to making the 10th World Congress in Dakar a catalyst for regional and international action in support of women's health and dignity, contributing to the global goal of eradicating obstetric fistula by 2030.