Seynabou Mbengue, from the Federation of Senegalese NGOs (FONGS – a rural initiative) based in Thiès, Senegal, shared these words with us in the context of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028). Her contribution is also in recognition of the International Day of Rural Women, recognised by the United Nations since 18 December 2007 and commemorated on 15 October each year.
Gender-based discrimination remains a widespread practice in Senegal and around the world. Relations between men and women are marked by numerous inequalities: access to land, to production resources (water, animal reproductive materials, plant protection products, and other agricultural inputs), to credit, education, training, and information.
Inequalities also extend to civil and political rights, with forced and early marriages, violence, discrimination, female genital mutilation, and restrictions on women’s right to work. Women are additionally more affected by phenomena such as war, taboos, religious fundamentalism, and climate change.
Women constitute a vulnerable group, often economically and socially dependent on their fathers, husbands, sons, or brothers. Statistics on the situation of women speak for themselves:
Each year, more than a million women die or are left disabled due to complications related to pregnancy. In Senegal, at least five women die every day from pregnancy-related causes. This mortality rate is the highest in rural areas, where access to healthcare facilities is generally low (between 30 and 50 per cent).
In Senegal, women frequently participate in social movements—political, religious, and agricultural—yet their participation is often used to serve other people’s agendas rather than their own.
Despite their central role in the rural economy, their progress remains hindered by persistent barriers such as illiteracy, lack of awareness of their rights, and cultural prejudices. These issues are inherited and continue to be passed down through generations.
In conclusion, in order for rural women’s entrepreneurship, independence, and empowerment to become a reality, the focus must remain on the schooling of children, especially girls, and on providing the conditions for them to stay in school.
Seynabou Mbengue
Gender and development facilitator in rural and peri-urban communities