Women's rights: Towards the first national citizens' conference to purge discriminatory laws

The organization of the first National Citizens' Conference on the Rights of Women and Girls is perceived by field actors as a major turning point for gender justice in Senegal.

Led by the feminist organization JGEN Senegal, with technical support from the Association of Senegalese Jurists (AJS) and the Collective of Feminists of Senegal, this citizen initiative aims to promote the harmonization of domestic law with international treaties ratified by the State, in order to definitively eliminate discriminatory texts.

Led by a preparatory committee and a monitoring body, this process is based on an inclusive methodology. The organizers structured the consultations around eight major themes addressing cross-cutting priorities: legal reforms, family rights, equitable access to justice, and the impact of economic and climate crises on women's living conditions.

This decentralized mobilization relies on regional workshops and citizen engagement mechanisms deployed in several regions, notably Dakar and Thiès, to fully integrate the realities of rural women and the most vulnerable segments of society. The ultimate goal is to formalize a list of citizens' grievances and establish a framework for ongoing dialogue with the Ministry of Justice, leading to the adoption of concrete legislative reforms.

After Dakar, the advocacy caravan stops in Thiès

At the head of the national caravan, Ms. Maïmouna Yade, Executive Director of JGEN Senegal, explained the purpose of the activities carried out in the Thiès region: “As part of the preparations for the first National Citizens’ Conference on the Rights of Women and Girls in Senegal, we are organizing this tour in the Thiès region to hold public information days with actors working on the promotion and protection of women’s rights, but also to train our focal points and supervisors on the process and on the expectations of local actors.”

While acknowledging the progress made since independence, feminist leaders emphasized the urgent need for a thorough review of the legal framework: "Senegal has made significant progress in women's rights since 1960. However, after years of struggle and advocacy, we see that there are still pressing issues that require further reflection in order to facilitate a necessary legislative review," stressed Ms. Yade.