By Aminata Kuyateh
Banjul is hosting a technical experts’ meeting as part of preparations for the Forum of First Ladies of SWEDD+ countries on zero tolerance for gender-based violence, bringing together regional actors in a coordinated effort to strengthen responses to violence affecting women and girls across West and Central Africa.
The meeting has assembled representatives from SWEDD+ programme member states alongside regional institutions and development partners, including the West African Health Organisation, Ecowas structures, UNFPA, the World Bank, and ECCAS.
Deliberations centred on an assessment of current gender based violence trends, with UNFPA statistics underscoring the scale and persistence of the problem across the region, alongside identified gaps in protection and response systems.
Participating countries under the SWEDD+ framework include The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo, with additional engagement from other states within regional cooperation arrangements.
These countries are working collectively to strengthen legal frameworks, expand survivor services, and address harmful social practices affecting women and girls.
The experts’ meeting is being conducted through plenary sessions and thematic working groups designed to consolidate priority actions for presentation at the upcoming high-level Forum of First Ladies scheduled for 8 to 10 April 2026 in Banjul. The Forum is being co organised by the Government of The Gambia and Ecowas.
According to the organisers,the expected outcome from the upcoming forum include the development of a regional roadmap on zero tolerance for gender based violence, the establishment of a First Ladies Alliance Against GBV, and a joint declaration reaffirming commitments to prevention, protection, and accountability.
