Pre-citizen conference in Kaffrine: Child marriages, violence and 33 maternal deaths raise the alarm

J-GEN Senegal and its partners brought together local stakeholders in Kaffrine for a preliminary forum on the rights of women and girls. The aim was to gather their concerns, identify the challenges they face, and propose appropriate solutions. Discussions focused on gender-based violence, early marriage, access to healthcare, and anticipated legal reforms.

How can we better protect the rights of women and girls in Senegal and make their voices heard in decisions that concern them? These questions were at the heart of the pre-citizen conferences organized in Kaffrine, as part of a national tour led by J-GEN Senegal, in collaboration with the steering committee (COPIL) and more than sixty partner organizations.

For Maïmouna Astou Yade, executive director of J-GEN Senegal, this approach aims to take stock of the rights of women and girls, while collecting their experiences and proposals to improve public policies.

“This initiative is an opportunity to recall the achievements and progress made since independence, but also to highlight the main challenges that persist in terms of women’s rights,” she explains.

The ambition is to make women true actors in public decisions, taking into account their daily realities and needs.

Laws need to evolve, rights need to be better protected

Several legal issues were raised, including the revision of the Family Code and the Child Code, the legal age of marriage, paternity testing, and parental authority. Reproductive health, the implementation of commitments related to the Maputo Protocol, and the fight against violence against women were also among the priorities. The organizations specifically requested that the recognition of femicide as a distinct offense be considered within the framework of reforms to the Penal Code.

Beyond the texts, the participants stressed the need to improve access to care, justice and protection mechanisms, while strengthening basic social services and mental health care for women.

In Kaffrine, concerns that demand urgent responses

In the region, gender-based violence and early marriage, particularly child marriage, remain significant concerns. Maternal health was also a major topic of discussion. According to a figure cited by the regional director of Family Affairs, 33 maternal deaths were recorded in nine months, highlighting the urgent need to identify appropriate responses to the challenges faced by women.

Attached to the Central hub, alongside Fatick, Kaolack and Diourbel, Kaffrine must raise the concerns of the populations of its four departments: Kaffrine, Birkilane, Koungheul and Malem-Hodar.

Consultations must continue in the municipalities to reach more women. J-GEN Senegal is counting on administrative authorities, technical services, community leaders , and community liaisons to facilitate public participation.

Representing the governor of the region, Ndeye Sylla, Ms. Tall, regional director of Family, recalled that the rights of women and girls are a collective issue linked to human dignity, equal opportunities and protection against violence.

She stressed the need to include all categories of women, particularly adolescent girls, those living in remote areas, and women with disabilities. She also emphasized the importance of ensuring the confidentiality and safety of participants when they share sensitive information.

Recommendations for changing everyday realities

For Diary Gadio, deputy director of regional community development for the Central region and supervisor of the pre-conference in Kaffrine, the progress made should not obscure discrimination, violence, unequal access to economic resources and the low representation of women in certain decision-making bodies.

“Promoting the rights of women and girls is not just about defending one category of people: it is about investing in the development of our entire society,” she says, inviting women and girls to actively participate in the discussions.

Access to education, health, justice, land and professional opportunities, as well as economic empowerment, are among the levers identified to improve their situation.

Data collection will be conducted under the responsibility of a technical and scientific committee composed of gender experts. The information gathered will be used to better understand the challenges on the ground and to formulate recommendations to be submitted to the authorities.

The challenge now is to translate the concerns expressed in Kaffrine and other regions into concrete measures. Beyond legal reforms and public policies, the aim is to enable girls to continue their education, women to access healthcare and economic resources, and victims of violence to receive appropriate support and guidance.