The ECOWAS Commission, through its ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), participated in the inaugural Africa Care Forum, convened by the African Union Commission from 2–4 September 2026 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. Under the theme “Placing Care at the Centre of Africa’s Development Agenda”, the Forum convened policymakers, researchers, civil society, and development partners in a continental platform to elevate care as a public priority and accelerate its recognition as a central pillar of inclusive growth and sustainable development across the continent.

Heading the ECOWAS delegation, Madam Sandra Oulaté, Director of the EGDC, underscored the importance of this milestone event: “Care is the invisible foundation of our economies and societies. ECOWAS is committed to making it visible, valued, and supported through strong policies, investments, and partnerships. The Africa Care Forum is an important and strategic gathering to spotlight the importance of just and fair care systems for Africa’s development, and ECOWAS is proud to contribute by presenting the strategic advances achieved in West Africa and the roadmap we are preparing for the future.”

Across West Africa, momentum on transforming care systems is growing, with an increasing number of countries adopting policies and innovations to recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work, while also strengthening the working conditions and visibility of paid care workers. In this effort, UN Women has been a longstanding partner, working alongside the ECOWAS Commission through its Regional Office for West and Central Africa to strengthen evidence, advocacy, and policy reform. A recent flagship publication to drive progress in the region includes the UN Women Care Snapshots, which provide governments and partners with clear, actionable insights on childcare, eldercare, disability support, water and energy infrastructure, and the paid care workforce.

Elena Ruiz Abril, Regional Policy Advisor at the UN Women Regional Office for West and Central Africa, emphasized the importance of the partnership with ECOWAS: “The Africa Care Forum, co‑organized by the African Union Commission and UN Women, is an important occasion to bring the advances from West Africa to the continental stage. Through our close collaboration with ECOWAS’ Gender Development Center, we are building momentum for reforms that will strengthen care systems and ensure they become a driver of equality, decent work, and sustainable development for all women and girls across the region.”

The Africa Care Forum provides a momentous occasion for ECOWAS to launch its work on the care economy as ECOWAS finalizes its Institutional Mapping of Care Systems in ECOWAS Member States, conducted in 2026 with the support of UN Women. This landmark study, to be launched during CSW71th in March 2027, will offer the first comprehensive overview of care needs, challenges, and opportunities across ECOWAS Member States, covering both unpaid care responsibilities and the role of paid care workers in sustaining health, education, and social services. The care economy, together with gender responsive climate action, has been identified as strategic priorities of the incoming ECOWAS Commission, reflecting increasing demand and commitment from Member States for strategies to accelerate and drive inclusive sustainable growth.