SWEDD+ first ladies to lead regional fight against GBV in The Gambia
Banjul, Gambia (PANA)-The First Ladies of SWEDD+ countries will meet in Banjul from 8 -10 April for a high-level forum on Zero Tolerance for Gender-Based Violence (GBV), under the leadership of the First Lady of The Gambia, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, said a statement obtained by PANA on Monday from the ECOWAS Communication Directorate.
The event is co-organized by the Government of The Gambia and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with support from UNFPA, the World Bank, ECCAS, and participating SWEDD+ countries.
Organizers said the forum reflects the growing recognition that ending GBV required both national commitment and coordinated regional action.
The forum comes amid continuing violence against women and girls across West and Central Africa, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, a situation that underscores the need for sustained leadership at the highest levels.
The forum builds on the SWEDD+ initiative, a $365 million World Bank-supported regional programme implemented in The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo.
The initiative seeks to strengthen legal frameworks, expand access to essential services for survivors, and promote social norms that empower women and girls.
ECOWAS plays a central role in guiding the forum’s outcomes to align with regional priorities. Its institutions, including the Department of Human Development and Social Affairs (DHDSA), the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, and the West African Health Organization (WAHO), support policy harmonization, institutional capacity, and national implementation of GBV prevention measures.
The Banjul forum is expected to adopt a Regional Roadmap on Zero Tolerance for GBV, launch a First Ladies Alliance Against GBV, and endorse a Joint Declaration reaffirming collective commitments to prevention, protection, and accountability.
“As Banjul hosts this historic gathering, the message is clear: ending gender-based violence requires unity of purpose, strong leadership, and sustained regional coordination.
"With ECOWAS at the centre of this effort, the forum marks a decisive step toward making Zero Tolerance for GBV a reality across West and Central Africa,” said Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs.
The forum will also highlight the “Together for Her” campaign, a regional initiative urging communities, leaders, and institutions to challenge harmful norms and support survivors through combined legal reform and behavioural change.
-0-PANA MSS/RA 6April2026
