The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned the attack on Senegalese Member of Parliament, Amy Ndiaye Gniby, by her colleagues during a session on December 1, 2022.
According to a statement signed by the Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis and made available to Channel Network Afrique, CNA, the parliament at its plenary of the 2022 Second Ordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria deliberated and adopted the following declaration:
“1. The ECOWAS Parliament strongly condemns this despicable act unworthy of a parliamentarian from the ECOWAS region at a time when we are witnessing a proliferation of initiatives to prevent and eliminate violence against women and come helping women who are victims of it.
“2. Reiterates its commitment to respect for women, and reaffirms that any form of violence against women is unacceptable, whatever the situation and whatever the circumstances;
“3. Recalls that the State of Senegal, in addition to its fundamental law, has signed and ratified the international legal instruments relating to gender-based violence;
“4. Reaffirms that this act, whatever the circumstances, cannot be justified nor tolerated in a country which guarantees parity between men and women in politics;
“5. Considering that one of the key goals of the 5th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament is to strengthen women participation in politics and that the action as witnessed is very regrettable as it sends negative impressions of the gains made in the past few years, the ECOWAS Parliament will continue to support and advocate for increased women participation and condemn any act of violence and abuse against women in general.
The Speaker while wishing the MP a speedy recovery on behalf of the Parliament however, urged the Senegalese State, in collaboration with the National Assembly of Senegal to take the necessary steps to ensure that justice is done to forestall future occurrence.
