Bissau: Guinea-Bissau has taken a significant step in reinforcing its commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda through a national capacity-building workshop facilitated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
According to African Press Organization, the workshop, held from July 22nd to 24th, 2025, was organized by the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DAHS) in collaboration with other relevant directorates and agencies, the Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity of Guinea-Bissau, and the ECOWAS Women, Peace and Security Regional Steering Group (WPS-RSG). The event aimed to enhance the skills of stakeholders and focal points in applying the African Union’s Continental Results Framework (CRC-UA), which has been adapted for West Africa by ECOWAS to monitor and report on the implementation of the WPS Agenda.
This initiative is part of ECOWAS’s ongoing efforts to bolster national accountability mechanisms and data systems, supporting United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and related resolutions. It was implemented with technical and financial support from the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with additional support from GIZ.
Her Excellency Maria Inácia Có Mendes Sanhá, Minister of Women, Family and Social Solidarity, emphasized Guinea-Bissau’s ongoing dedication to gender equality and women’s empowerment in peace-building processes during her opening speech. She reiterated the government’s backing of the WPS Agenda, highlighting several national policies and legal frameworks such as the National Policy for Gender Equality and Equity (PNIEG), the Parity Law, and laws addressing gender-based violence and human trafficking.
Mr. Carsten Wille, representing the German government as the Head of the Liaison Office of the German Embassy in Dakar and Guinea-Bissau, reiterated Germany’s commitment to feminist development cooperation and inclusive peacebuilding. He expressed pride in supporting national actors through the EPSG project, noting Guinea-Bissau’s participation in the CRC training as a testament to its commitment to addressing gender dimensions in peace and security.
The workshop, led by Ms. Tamwakat Elizabeth Golit, Integrated Expert on Women, Peace and Security for the EPSG Project at the ECOWAS Commission, and Ms. Edineusa Lopes José da Cruz Figueiredo, President of the Institute for Women and Children, saw participation from over 35 individuals representing ministries, security institutions, civil society organizations, academia, and the media. Through interactive exercises and technical presentations, the workshop enhanced participants’ ability to utilize the CRC tool for effective monitoring of WPS indicators in line with national and regional frameworks.
At the conclusion of the workshop, five gender assessment reports were presented to the Office of the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Guinea-Bissau and the ECOWAS National Office. Ms. Tamwakat Elizabeth Golit summarized the primary findings and recommendations for strengthening national coordination and policy responses. She emphasized the importance of transparency and collective ownership, noting that the reports are publicly accessible via the ECOWAS website to serve as resources for advocacy, research, and decision-making.
Participants recognized the workshop as a timely initiative and called for further training, institutionalization of the CRC in national monitoring systems, and enhanced collaboration among stakeholders. They also expressed their readiness to contribute to the next national WPS reporting cycle using the simplified CRC tool.
The workshop concluded with a call to action: to move the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda beyond political declarations towards tangible and measurable impacts for women and girls in Guinea-Bissau and West Africa.