In her interview, Amayel Diop, a lecturer and researcher at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, discusses the challenges of women's participation in Senegalese politics. She highlights the difficulty women face in balancing family life and political engagement, particularly due to political meetings often being scheduled at times incompatible with their domestic responsibilities. Ms. Diop critiques the 2010 parity law, believing it has not achieved its goals due to a lack of enforcement mechanisms. She urges women to move beyond secondary roles and take on leadership positions. Emphasizing the importance of intellectual and financial empowerment, she advocates for greater solidarity among women to overcome persistent sociocultural barriers.

Inequality, Gender, Women, Political participation

This article features an interview with Ndioro Ndiaye, former Senegalese minister, who emphasizes that gender parity does not equate to true equality. She highlights the historical role of pioneering Senegalese women such as Caroline Faye Diop and Maïmouna Kane in advancing women's emancipation. Ndiaye points out that while parity laws have been adopted in Senegal, their enforcement—particularly in appointive positions—remains inadequate. She calls for a reform of legislative frameworks to ensure effective equality and urges women to actively prepare for upcoming local elections. The article underscores that symbolic parity must be accompanied by real opportunities and power-sharing mechanisms to achieve lasting gender equity in public and political life.

Women, Parity, Equality, Empowerment

The article "Maintaining Patriarchal Order through Silencing: Literary Territories of Female Subordination in Cameroon" by Nadine Machikou examines the controversy triggered by the debut novel of Marzouka Oummou Hani, a high school student from northern Cameroon. Her fictional narrative addresses patriarchal violence in a setting modeled on the real village of Idool. The backlash, including a lawsuit and state mediation, unveils the institutional mechanisms used to silence women’s voices. While the novel is defended as fiction, authorities push for a revision and public apology, reinforcing patriarchal control over female expression. Based on both ethnographic research and literary analysis, the article highlights how literature becomes a site of feminist resistance, where themes of gender, age, religion, and class intersect. It also sheds light on the symbolic and political forces that shape who is allowed to speak, write, and define social reality in contemporary Cameroonian society.

Governance, Women, Discrimination

L'article intitulé « Au cœur de la marginalisation des femmes en milieu rural nigérien : l’accès à l’eau agricole », rédigé par Mahaman Tidjani Alou, Illiassou Mossi Maïga et Aminatou Daouda Hainikoye, a été publié dans la revue Les Cahiers d’Outre-Mer en avril 2015. Il examine les inégalités de genre dans l'accès aux périmètres irrigués au Niger, révélant que la riziculture est principalement une activité masculine. Les rares femmes impliquées sont souvent sans soutien, divorcées ou veuves, avec plusieurs enfants à charge. Des critères discriminatoires, tels que le statut de chef de ménage, ont été utilisés pour les exclure de l'attribution des parcelles aménagées. De plus, la pénibilité de la culture du riz est invoquée pour justifier leur marginalisation, les privant ainsi des bénéfices de cette activité.

Agriculture, Gender, Women, Discrimination

The report titled "Security Sector Reform and Governance in Senegal," written by Colonel Babacar Diouf and published by the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) on January 22, 2024, examines the historical evolution and current state of Security Sector Governance (SSG) in Senegal. It analyzes key components of the sector, including the Army, Gendarmerie, Police, Special Forces, Intelligence Services, and the Penitentiary Sector. The article highlights major reforms undertaken since independence to strengthen the capacities of the armed forces and underscores contemporary challenges the country faces in terms of security.

Governance, Security, Réforme

In the article titled "Toxic masculinity is very present within the media," published on December 6, 2021, on WATHI, Maïmouna Astou Yade emphasizes the crucial role of media in public life and their influence on perceptions of gender equality. She notes that, despite some progress, media coverage of women's issues remains inadequate, particularly regarding violence against women, which is often downplayed. Yade criticizes the persistence of patriarchal stereotypes in the media, which promote male leadership at the expense of female representation. She calls for a multidisciplinary approach to raise awareness and train media professionals on gender equality issues, aiming to transform internal practices and improve coverage of topics related to women.

Inequality, Gender, Inclusion

In the article titled "Our sociocultural constraints are reflected in the way we handle information related to women," published on November 24, 2021, on WATHI, Sofia Ba discusses the significant yet often unrecognized role of women in Senegalese society due to sociocultural norms. She highlights that, although women are active in the media, barriers persist, frequently confining them to roles related to entertainment or sociocultural topics. Ba advocates for a more diverse representation of women in the media, reflecting their varied expertise, including in economics, politics, and sciences. She also critiques the biased treatment of information concerning women, influenced by enduring social beliefs and constraints. For her, the media play a crucial role in shaping societal perceptions of women's roles and must accurately reflect societal realities, even when uncomfortable. Ba calls for a strategic use of social networks to convey messages about gender inequalities and a redefinition of feminism, often misunderstood and negatively perceived in Senegal.

Culture, Gender, Inclusion

Daniel Eizenga’s article identifies five major zones of violence involving Islamist militant groups in the Sahel. These areas have become epicenters of chronic insecurity, seriously affecting civilians and weakening state institutions. The key zones include the Liptako-Gourma tri-border area (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), Northwestern Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, Niger’s Tillabéri region, and Northern Benin. In each of these locations, jihadist groups exploit state fragility, community conflicts, and local grievances to entrench themselves. The article outlines how these groups have shifted tactics—moving from mobile insurgencies to localized governance and territorial control. Eizenga stresses that sustainable responses must combine security efforts with governance reforms, community dialogue, and inclusive development to effectively counter this growing threat.

Governance, Jihad, Violence, Insécurité

The article "Responding to the Rise of Violent Extremism in the Sahel", authored by Pauline Le Roux and published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies on January 14, 2020, examines the escalation of violent extremism in the Sahel, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. It highlights the strategies of militant Islamist groups, notably the Macina Liberation Front (FLM) and Ansaroul Islam, which exploit feelings of marginalization among certain communities, especially young Fulani herders, to recruit members. These groups leverage charismatic leaders and structured ideologies to attract followers. The article also underscores the challenges faced by local security forces, including resource constraints and allegations of human rights abuses, which further erode trust among local populations. To counter this growing threat, the article recommends an integrated approach combining enhanced security measures with inclusive development initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of violent extremism.

Security, Extremism, Violence, Marginalisation, Recruitment