Bissau: Guinea-Bissau has reinforced its commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda by hosting a key capacity-building workshop organized by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The three-day event, held from July 22 to 24, 2025, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity, focused on the application of the African Union’s Continental Results Framework (CRC-UA). This framework, adapted by ECOWAS for the West African context, aims to enhance monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the WPS agenda.
According to African Press Organization, this initiative is part of ECOWAS’s continuous efforts to bolster national accountability mechanisms and data systems, aligning with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and its related resolutions. Supported by the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), the workshop received technical and financial backing from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with assistance from GIZ.
In her opening speech, Her Excellency Maria Inácia Có Mendes Sanhá, Minister of Women, Family and Social Solidarity, emphasized Guinea-Bissau’s dedication to gender equality and women’s empowerment in peace-building. She reiterated the government’s backing of the WPS agenda, highlighting various national policies and legal frameworks, including the National Policy for Gender Equality and Equity (PNIEG), the Parity Law, and laws addressing gender-based violence and human trafficking.
Mr. Carsten Wille, Head of the Liaison Office of the German Embassy in Dakar and Guinea-Bissau, spoke on behalf of the German government. He affirmed Germany’s commitment to feminist development cooperation and inclusive peacebuilding, expressing pride in supporting national actors through the EPSG project. Wille noted that Guinea-Bissau’s engagement in the CRC training showcases its intent to enhance its institutional response to the gender dimensions of 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, gathered over 35 participants from various sectors. Through interactive exercises and technical presentations, the workshop enhanced participants’ abilities to utilize the CRC tool and its questionnaire, improving monitoring of WPS indicators in line with national and regional frameworks.
At the workshop’s conclusion, 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 main findings and offered practical recommendations for enhancing national coordination and policy responses. She emphasized transparency and collective ownership, noting that the reports are publicly available on the ECOWAS website for advocacy, research, and evidence-based decision-making.
Participants praised the workshop’s timely nature and called for further training, the institutionalization of the CRC in national monitoring systems, and improved collaboration among stakeholders. They expressed a willingness to contribute to the upcoming national WPS reporting cycle using the simplified CRC tool.
The workshop concluded with a call to action: to advance the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda from political declarations to tangible impacts for women and girls in Guinea-Bissau and West Africa.