We hosted the Vice President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja for a presentation and discussion on human security trends and resilience mechanisms from ECOWAS’s Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN). Senior analyst Nanténé Coulibaly of the Early Warning Directorate presented how ECOWARN combines data from 77 field monitors and 55 indicators, input from civil society organizations, national mechanisms, and other reports to assess the risk of violence and insecurity in the region. Ms. Coulibaly highlighted major challenges in 2023 from five thematic sectors: crime & criminality, security, governance & human rights, health, and environment.
Following the presentation, Vice President Tchintchibidja joined GIWPS Managing Director Carla Koppell to discuss how gender mainstreaming is part of all ECOWARN information collection and the ECOWAS initiatives that include women in mediation efforts to stabilize the region. The regional challenges of democratic backsliding and the threats women face due to technology-facilitated gender-based violence were also discussed.
