• Côte d'Ivoire ranked first on gender equality within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with a score of 0.708, above the regional average of 0.640.
• The countposted its strongest scores in education (0.948) and technology (0.739), and held upper-intermediate levels in health (0.889), employment and income (0.737), and access to resources (0.627).
• Senegal followed in second place with 0.684, ahead of Ghana (0.679), Togo (0.673), and Gambia (0.671), while Liberia (0.584) and Benin (0.584) closed the rankings at 15th and 14th.

Côte d'Ivoire ranks first on gender equality in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with a score of 0.708, above the regional average of 0.640.

The Ivorian government made the announcement on Wednesday, April 29, after the Council of Ministers. The result comes from the 2024 ECOWAS Gender Equality Index report, the first regional tool that measures gender gaps across the West African community.

The ECOWAS Gender Equality Index (GEI) is a multidimensional instrument that gauges disparities between women and men in member states. It covers education, employment, access to resources, health, technology, and leadership and decision-making. The calculation rests on 38 indicators that assess parity across these sectors.

The index sets the reference value at 1, which represents perfect parity between women and men. "A value below 1 indicates inequality in favor of men, while a value above 1 reflects inequality in favor of women," the ECOWAS-GEI report notes.

"Côte d'Ivoire stands out particularly in education, with a score of 0.948, and in technology (0.739). The country sits at an upper-intermediate level in health (0.889), employment and income (0.737), and access to resources (0.627)," the Ivorian government's statement emphasizes.

Reforms and programs delivering tangible results

The Ivorian government rolls out a series of structural policies and programs to reduce gender inequalities, ranging from women's economic empowerment to the promotion of their political participation. These efforts rely on dedicated funding, institutional reforms, and concrete social initiatives.

One example is the Côte d'Ivoire Women's Support Fund (FAFCI), a project-financing program that has enabled 340,000 women members to gain greater autonomy and well-being. The initiative has strengthened women's resilience in the face of poverty.

On the political front, the 2019 law imposes a 30% quota for women in decision-making bodies.

In addition, the National Policy on Gender Equality, Equity and Gender (PNEEG 2024-2030), valued at 3.1 billion FCFA ($5.5 million), pursues two core objectives: the effective integration of gender across all sectors of public and private life, and a shift in mindsets and behaviors that supports respect for the rights of women and men, girls and boys, in their specificities, according to a government statement.

Selected scores from other ECOWAS countries

According to the ECOWAS-GEI report, Senegal occupies second place with a score of 0.684, standing out in access to technology and women's leadership. Ghana comes in third (0.679), followed by Togo (0.673) and Gambia, which closes the top 5 with a score of 0.671.

At the other end, Liberia (0.584; 15th) and Benin (0.584; 14th) hold the last places and post the lowest scores, due to modest performances in employment, leadership, and women's access to technology.

Lydie Mobio