For the first time, these two key actors in the development of the continent have established a framework for cooperation to achieve their common goals and accelerate the empowerment of women in Africa.

“Women have always had a central role in the Foundation’s activities and initiatives. Through our partnerships, we have been able to promote, among other things, women’s leadership and girls’ education. With UN Women, we want to go further. We are thrilled to have such a partner, which expertise and experience will help us ensure that a gender equality lens is applied in all our actions,” explains Elisa Desbordes-Cissé, COO of the Ecobank Foundation.

Financial inclusion, focusing on women

For the past nine years, the Ecobank Foundation has been organising the “Ecobank Day”, a unique opportunity for Ecobank Group employees each year to serve the well-being of their communities.

This year’s Ecobank Day, scheduled for 12 November, will focus on financial literacy and inclusion as a key factor in reducing poverty and promoting shared prosperity for women and youth, mostly in marginalized communities, with the theme “Leave no one behind: Financial Inclusion for all!”.

Through this partnership with UN Women, particular attention will be paid to the specific needs and challenges faced by women and women entrepreneurs in both rural and urban areas.

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign is an annual international event that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and continues until 10 December, Human Rights Day.

For the first time, the Ecobank Foundation and UN Women will jointly carry out a series of awareness raising, advocacy and action activities to combat violence against women and girls in several African countries.

Sport as a vehicle for women’s personal and professional empowerment

Through this partnership, the Ecobank Foundation and UN Women will put a specific focus on the sports sector and the opportunities that exist for women along the value chain, both in terms of personal and professional empowerment.

Regional Director a.i., Deputy Regional Director, UN Women West and Central Africa Regional Office, Florence Raes, said, “We are excited about this partnership with Ecobank in many ways. Through this collaboration, we will be able to work together to promote gender equality in Africa and empower many more women by increasing their levels of financial literacy and inclusion. And given our shared interest in sports, we will together more effectively combat gender stereotypes by promoting more equal participation of women and girls in the sports industry in Africa.”

Over the last few years, alongside key partners from global and Pan-African organisations, the Ecobank Foundation has made significant progress in Africa through its focus on three pillars, namely education, healthcare and financial empowerment. 

Desbordes-Cissé will be responsible for continuing that work. Her role will include overseeing the expansion and strengthening of activities and partnerships across Ecobank’s entire 33-country sub-Saharan Africa footprint. This will further cement Ecobank Foundation’s position as the preferred partner for creating positive impact in the lives of millions of people across the continent.   

Desbordes-Cissé has impressive experience and expertise in Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, in addition to her strong advocacy skills. Throughout her 15-year career, she has worked for many Pan-African and international development institutions, including the African Development Bank Group, UNITLIFE (a United Nations Development Programme initiative), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the African Media Initiative, and the ONE Campaign.

The new COO has a Master’s degree in Political Science and Intercultural Management from the Institut d’Études Politiques d’Aix-en-Provence, France. She is a native French speaker and is also fluent in English, as well as proficient in both Spanish and German.

Commenting on her appointment, Ade Ayeyemi, CEO, Ecobank Group said: “Elisa Desbordes-Cissé’s appointment has come at an opportune time to further strengthen the Foundation’s Africa-focused commitment and purpose. We are certain that we will benefit from Elisa’s experience as we continue to impact our communities through the Foundation’s initiatives and programmes on health, education and financial empowerment.”

Ade Ayeyemi formally thanked Carl Manlan, the former Chief Operating Officer of the Ecobank Foundation for his great work in propelling the Foundation during the 5 years he served in that capacity, before leaving the Ecobank Group.