Casamance: Women at the heart of peace and resilience

In Casamance, the tour of the UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Maxime Houinato, and the Resident Representative in Senegal, Arlette Mvondo, highlighted a strong conviction: women must be at the center of solutions to correct social and economic fractures.

Peacebuilding, combating gender-based violence (GBV), economic empowerment and victim support: the region relies on these to build lasting resilience and correct the fractures inherited from decades of crisis.

Healing divisions and building lasting peace

Dr. Maxime Houinato expressed his satisfaction at the end of his first tour of Casamance: "The satisfaction stems from three essential facts: the institutional collaboration between the State, civil society and the private sector; the holistic dimension of the work which integrates social, economic and women's representation aspects; and finally the need to communicate the achievements so that other regions and neighboring countries can benefit from the Casamance experience."

He emphasized the importance of combining tradition and modernity: “The successes we see here in Casamance are not just about material things, they are also about software. And this software comes from our traditions, from our culture. There is benefit in tradition, but also corrections to be made. We will identify and correct them ourselves, as sons and daughters of Casamance.”

Arlette Mvondo, for her part, reiterated that economic empowerment is inseparable from the fight against violence: "Women's empowerment is not an abstract concept. It is measured in the income generated, in strengthened food security, and in the renewed confidence of women who take their destiny into their own hands."

Women, agents of peace and resilience

In Dar Salam, the sub-prefect of Nyassia, Moussa Aly Ba, praised the commitment of rural women: “Women produce, process, market, feed their families, and contribute to food security. What we are seeing today fully aligns with the Senegal 2050 Vision and the Diomaye Plan for Casamance.” He believes that the return of displaced populations must be accompanied by sound economic conditions: “It must allow families to live with dignity and enable women to fully participate in the transformation of their region.”

The delegation also emphasized the need to strengthen support for victims of gender-based violence and to consolidate peace through the full participation of women. Dr. Houinato stressed: “When results are achieved in challenging contexts, it is important to share them so that other regions can benefit from the experience.”

Beyond agricultural and economic projects, stories of perseverance and solidarity are emerging. The women of Casamance are no longer simply beneficiaries: they have become producers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and peacebuilders.

Max Euclid KANFANY