2. Each Member State may give financial assistance to privately-owned media. The distribution and
allocation of such assistance shall be done by an independent national body or by a body freely instituted
by the journalists themselves.
Article 38 :
1. Member States undertake to fight corruption and manage their national resources in a transparent
manner, ensuring that they are equitably distributed.
2. In this regard, Member States and the Executive Secretariat undertake to establish appropriate
mechanisms to address issues of corruption within the Member States and at the Community level.
Article 39 :
Protocol A/P.1/7/91 adopted in Abuja on 6 July 1991 relating to the Community Court of Justice, shall be
reviewed so as to give the Court the power to hear, inter-alia, cases relating to violations of human rights,
after all attempts to resolve the matter at the national level have failed.
SECTION VIII: WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE YOUTH
Article 40 :
Member States agree that the development and promotion of the welfare of women are essential factors for
development, progress and peace in the society. Consequently, they undertake to eliminate all forms of
discrimination and harmful and degrading practices against women.
Article 41 :
1. Member States shall guarantee children's rights and give them access to basic education.
2. Special laws shall be enacted in each Member State and at the level of the Community against child
trafficking and child prostitution.
3. The Community shall adopt laws and regulations on Child Labour in line with the provisions of the
International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Article 42 :
1. Member States shall agree on rules to be adopted on the training and development of the youth.
2. Uniform laws shall be adopted within the Community to prevent and handle cases of juvenile
delinquency.
Article 43 :
The Executive Secretariat shall put in place all necessary structures within its establishment to ensure the
effective implementation of common policies and programmes relating to the education and the promotion
of the welfare of women and youth.
CHAPTER II MODALITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND SANCTIONS
Article 44 :
1. This Article complements the provisions of Chapter V of the Protocol of 10th December 1999.
2. In order to give full force to the provision of Article 28 of this Supplementary Protocol and in accordance
with Article 57 of the Treaty, a legal convention incorporating, if need be, Convention A/P.1/7/92 relating to
mutual assistance in criminal matters, and the Convention A/P1/8/94 on Extradition shall be elaborated and
adopted not later than twelve months after the entry into force of this Supplementary Protocol.
Article 45 :
1. In the event that democracy is abruptly brought to an end by any means or where there is massive
violation of Human Rights in a Member State, ECOWAS may impose sanctions on the State concerned.
2. The sanctions which shall be decided by the Authority may take the following forms, in increasing order
of severity:
? Refusal to support the candidates presented by the Member State concerned for elective posts in
international organisations;
? Refusal to organise ECOWAS meetings in the Member State concerned;
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