Across Africa, women currently hold approximately 26 percent of parliamentary seats, with representation in some countries falling below five percent. These disparities undermine democratic legitimacy, limits policy responsiveness, and constrain economic and social development outcomes.

Hence the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL) and ElectHER have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Women’s Representation in African Parliaments (WRAP) Project, a strategic continental initiative designed to advance women’s leadership and institutionalise gender-responsive governance across African legislatures.

The agreement marks a significant milestone in strengthening inclusive parliamentary leadership across the continent. By leveraging CoSPAL’s convening capacity among African parliamentary leaders and ElectHER’s technical expertise in gender-responsive governance and institutional reform, WRAP will provide a structured, data-driven and sustainable framework to enhance women’s parliamentary representation and embed inclusive practices within legislative systems.

According to the Secretary General, CoSPAL ’Dapo Oyewole, “this partnership is an important one for us and has the full support of the CoSPAL Chairman, Alban Sumana Bagbin, Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, who is an avid gender champion.

“It reflects our collective commitment to strengthening Africa’s parliamentary institutions through inclusive leadership and evidence-based reform. We believe that enhancing women’s representation is fundamental to improving governance performance, legislative effectiveness and public trust in democratic institutions.”

He noted that inclusive parliaments are better positioned to respond to the continent’s complex socio-economic challenges and to drive sustainable development outcomes.

ElectHER’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Ibijoke Faborode, emphasised the institutional ambition of the WRAP Project: “WRAP moves us beyond fragmented programming towards systemic reform.

“Our objective is not simply to increase the number of women in legislative chambers, but to ensure they are positioned to shape policy, influence reform agendas and contribute meaningfully to national and continental development priorities.”

She added that sustainable change requires aligning data, leadership development and institutional innovation within a coherent continental framework.

WRAP is designed to address these structural gaps through a comprehensive and institutional approach. It will be anchored on a robust evidence base and collaborative engagement among parliamentary leaders, reform champions and cross-sector partners.

Through this partnership, CoSPAL and ElectHER signal a long-term commitment to reimagining Africa’s democratic architecture, one in which inclusive representation strengthens legislative effectiveness, deepens accountability and advances prosperity, peace and security across the continent.