Abuja, Nigeria, September 13^th, 2022. A three (3) day workshop on integrating gender and human rights into early warning systems held at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, 13-15^th September 2022.

The workshop served to deepen the understanding of the African Union Commission (AUC) and Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) on the experience of ECOWAS in mainstreaming gender into Early Warning. In addition, the workshop enhanced AUC’s and REC’s understanding on the role of human rights in early warning and ways of stimulating the integration of human rights into early warning data collection, analysis, reporting tools and methodologies.

Dr. Lat Abdou Gueye the Director ECOWAS Early Warning, represented by the P.O Information, Mr. Tunji Olonode, in his welcome address expressed his gratitude to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the AUC for supporting ECOWAS and other REC’s  to further infuse Human Rights considerations into their respective early warning systems . The Director emphasized that ‘ this peer to peer learning opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time as issues of Human Rights could be pertinent as root causes, triggers and ramifications of human insecurity.’

At the end of the 3-day workshop, which consisted of 14 sessions of presentations, discussions and plenary sessions, concrete recommendation to ensure progress and continued collaboration were articulated. Participants at the workshop included representatives of the ECOWAS Directorate of Political affairs, OHCHR, UNOWAS, AfDB, AUC, SADC, IGAD, EASF, COMESA, WANEP and the Nigerian Human Rights Commission.