The ECOWAS Court of Justice has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls across the West African sub-region through effective justice delivery.
The President of the Court, Ricardo Gonçalves, made the pledge during the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration organised by the ECOWAS Court Women’s Forum on Monday in Abuja.
The event, which is marked globally on March 8 each year, had the sub-theme: “Break the Silence, End Gender-Based Violence Now.”
“As we celebrate our women and their invaluable contributions to the achievements of the court, we also reaffirm our collective commitment to delivering justice, advancing the rule of law, ending violence and discrimination, and creating a future where every woman and girl in the ECOWAS region can thrive in safety and dignity,” Gonçalves said.
He added that the court would continue to take action through its judgments, outreach programmes and partnerships with member states to ensure that justice and protection of women’s rights become a lived reality across the region.
According to him, the protection of women and girls’ rights within the ECOWAS region remains central to advancing justice, upholding human dignity and fostering inclusive development.
Gonçalves, who was represented by the Acting Deputy Chief Registrar, Marie Saine, said the court had over the years upheld the fundamental rights of women and girls through its jurisprudence, challenging discrimination and providing remedies for victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
He noted that the court’s decisions had not only delivered justice to individuals but also set important legal precedents that strengthened the protection of women and girls throughout West Africa.
Also speaking, Justice Dupe Atoki emphasised that the rights of women and girls were fundamental human rights that must be respected, protected and fulfilled.
She said although progress had been made globally, many women and girls still faced barriers that limited opportunities, silenced their voices and denied them full participation in society.
Atoki added that justice must remain accessible, impartial and responsive to the realities faced by women and girls, stressing that discrimination and violence must not be tolerated.
In a keynote address, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu, described the ECOWAS Court of Justice as the conscience of the entire sub-regional community.
Represented by the commission’s Director of Women and Children’s Department, Ngozi Okorie, Ojukwu called for collective action by stakeholders to ensure that violence against women is met with the full weight of the law.
Earlier, the President of the ECOWAS Court Women’s Forum, Oluwatosin Nguher, said the event was a call to accelerate gender parity across all spheres of society.
She noted that gender-based violence remained one of the most pervasive human rights challenges, undermining dignity, weakening institutions and disrupting communities.
Nguher urged stakeholders to move beyond discussion to decisive action, emphasising that through unity, awareness and deliberate action, rights could be protected and justice made accessible for all women and girls across the region.