The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Women, Youth, Peace and Security in West Africa and the Sahel (WGWYPS-WAS) took place from 3 to 7 November in Praia, Cabo Verde, bringing together regional leaders, policymakers and civil society representatives to review progress and set priorities for the coming years.
Organised by the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and UN Women, in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – EPSG, the European Union (EU), GIZ GmbH, Expertise France (EF) – FIAP, Partners West Africa – Senegal, and the United Nations Country Team in Cabo Verde, the five-day event provided an important platform to assess achievements and challenges in implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas.
Held under the theme “25 Years of Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) in West Africa and the Sahel: Perspectives from Women and Youth,” the meeting marked a key moment of reflection on a quarter century of work towards gender equality and youth inclusion in peacebuilding processes.
Around 70 participants from 16 countries across the region, including government representatives, civil society organisations, women’s and youth groups, academic institutions, and regional bodies, took part in the sessions. They reviewed and validated national and regional assessments of the implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000) and discussed strategies to enhance coordination, visibility and accountability at every level.
The meeting also finalised the 2026 national and regional work plans, adopted the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, identified priority themes for next year’s thematic exchanges, and selected focus countries for advocacy and support missions. Preparations for the 2026 Annual Meeting were also initiated.
Participants reflected on 25 years of implementation, acknowledging both significant progress and persistent gaps. Discussions pointed to the continued need for stronger state ownership, sustainable financing for National Action Plans (NAPs), and better monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Ongoing funding limitations and fragmented implementation were identified as major barriers to sustained progress.
The closing day featured a capacity-building session on the Continental Results Framework (CRF), led by the ECOWAS Commission through the GIZ-EPSG Project. It was followed by an in-depth discussion on advancing the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and a field visit to local initiatives promoting peace, gender equality, and community cohesion.
As the meeting concluded, delegates reaffirmed their collective commitment to deepening collaboration and driving forward inclusive, sustainable peace efforts across West Africa and the Sahel.
