West Africa Civil Society Institute wacsi.org

The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and Women Peace and Security Network, Africa (WIPSEN-Africa) conveyed the 2nd Annual West African Women’s Policy Forum themed “Our Politics is NOW: Moving Beyond the Rhetoric of Women’s Political Participation” from November 12­13 2009 in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire with support from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), the International Women’s Programme of the Open Society Institute (IWP-OSI), the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Daphne Foundation and with local support from the Forum International des Femmes pour la Paix l’Egalité et le Développent (FIFEM).

The 2-days forum was organised with the overarching goal to review women’s participation in politics in post independence West Africa and assess the gains thus far in terms of women’s involvement in political parties; active participation in political processes; and ascension to appointed or elected positions. The gathering also examined amongst others, the contributions and support of civil society towards women seeking political careers and how this has bolster or falter women’s opportunities in different instances.