A Home Run for Yacine

How legal, economic, and civic empowerment can unlock the potential of Senegalese women

Yacine Ciss at Gindiku FM Radio Studio where she is a community reporter. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

Over the past several decades, Senegal has made significant strides towards gender equality.

This progress is evident, for example, in the classrooms where gender parity is almost achieved at primary and secondary levels.

There is, however, work to do to improve women’s understanding of ownership and management of land. This is particularly true in rural areas where people have limited access to information, which makes it difficult to address traditional imbalances between men and women.

Yacine embraced the activities that are part of Suxali Jigeen, which means “Women Empowered” in Wolof. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

That began to change four years ago with an activity called Suxali Jigeen, which means ”Women Empowered” in Wolof. Supported by USAID, the activity worked with over 1,300 women in 60 villages to increase their participation in their community. The goal: build up businesses and entrepreneurs, educate women on their legal rights, and support civic and political engagement.

Yacine Ciss took advantage of all three opportunities. Over time the assistance from USAID allowed her to become a radio reporter and to improve her skills as an elected municipal councilor and entrepreneur. Here’s how.

Yacine and family. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

A mother of seven children, Yacine lost her husband over 25 years ago and provided for their children while they were growing. Before Suxali Jigeen, she was selling food in Thies, a big city half an hour away. She also cultivated her land and wanted to develop as a businesswoman. She needed to learn some skills.

Besides providing business related training, Suxali Jigeen helped women access loans to buy crops or small animals and start a small farming business. When women generate an income, their role and voice increase dramatically in their family and community.

Sheep have proven a good business investment for Yacine. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

“I received two small grants that helped me to start a business of growing and selling sheep,” Yacine explained. “The revenues it generated allowed me to pay for the repairs of a very damaged wall in our house and for hospital bills for my oldest daughter, who has a heart problem.”

Often women in Senegal do not know their rights as landowners. That was not the case for Yacine thanks to training from USAID. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

With the information on her rights she obtained during her training, she was able to resolve a land dispute with the local government. The authorities of Notto Diobass had asked her to give up the land she inherited from her husband, so that they could build a school. At first they didn’t offer her an alternative site, but she knew her rights and sought the support of local leaders, including the media.

Senegalese law states that women and men have equal access to — and control over — land and natural resources. However, most women are unaware of their rights. In addition, those who do own land face the threat of their land being forcibly and illegally seized. This knowledge proved critical for Yacine and her family.

Yacine doesn’t let traditional gender norms get in the way of her community engagement. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

“Thanks to the training I received I understand my role in front of decision making bodies in my community and was able to fight for my rights as a landowner. I negotiated a relocation to an area nearby and obtained a bigger lot.”

Suxali Jigeen also equipped and trained 60 women in 60 villages to improve their skills as community reporters. Every week, these reporters prepare news segments and documentaries about issues that affect their community, including civic participation and voter registration. They record all their material on mobile phones then use WhatsApp to send their reporting to Radio Gindiku FM, an all-woman-run station supported by USAID as part of this activity.

Community radio has allowed women like Yacine to produce content that is relevant to their neighbors, including stories about civic participation and voter registration. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

Similarly to economic empowerment, this has given women a voice. It also increased their political, social, and leadership roles.

As Yacine’s skill sets expanded, so too did her leadership skills and a steady deepening of her community engagement. Yacine was recently re-elected as a municipal council representative in Notto Diobass, a township in the municipality of Thiès, which includes 67 villages and about 40,000 inhabitants.

“My dream is to become mayor,” she says. “We need more women engaged in local government bodies in our area.”

Yacine is a community leader and a proponent of women’s empowerment. / Olivier Le Blanc, USAID/Senegal

About the Author

Julie Rios Little is the technical Development and Outreach Communicator for the Democracy & Governance desk at USAID’s Mission in Senegal.