The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) pursues the promotion of good governance, peace and security and free, fair and credible elections in member states through a combination of direct involvement and diplomacy. . ECOWAS has successfully intervened in civil wars and political crises in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Guinea, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso These interventions represent some of the concrete examples of ECOWAS’ ability to apply legal and institutional frameworks to promote peace and security in the region. However, it is also true that often these successes have been marred by incidences of human rights violation including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Generally, women are still at the margins of the political, economic and social development agenda, and continue to face enormous challenges in exercising and fulfilling their fundamental human rights in peace and conflict situations. This chapter explores the regions’ progress towards addressing gender inequality by focusing on the analysis of women’ s representation in the political space in West Africa. It highlights examples of positive affirmative action measures that have advanced women’s political representation. The chapter also identifies some of the barriers in the electoral processes that are impediments to women exercising and enjoying their electoral rights. It concludes with practical suggestions on ways to bridge the gap.
