Calendar icon
Sunday 19 October, 2025
Weather icon
á Dakar
Close icon
Se connecter

Anti-rights movements in Senegal: a danger for women, girls and civic space (By Oussama Monica Sagna)

Auteur: Oussama Monica SAGNA

image

Les mouvements anti droits au Sénégal : un péril pour les femmes, les filles et l’espace civique (Par Oussama Monica Sagna)

Senegal is often cited as a model of democracy in West Africa, with its

its political stability and social pluralism. However, behind this image, there is an expression

a worrying dynamic: the rise of movements described as anti-rights.

These groups, whether organized or informal, are characterized by systematic opposition to

reforms in favor of human rights, particularly the rights of women and young people.

Their growing influence produces dramatic consequences: normative decline, restriction

of civic space, worsening of gender-based violence and weakening of

democratic perspectives.

An increase in sexist and sexual violence

The speeches and actions of anti-rights movements reinforce the trivialization of violence.

By opposing comprehensive sex education, they deprive young girls of the tools to

prevention of early pregnancy, forced marriage and sexual abuse.

Refusal to expand access to medical abortion in cases of incest or forced rape

every year thousands of women and girls resort to clandestine practices,

often at the cost of their lives.

Stigma campaigns legitimize the culture of impunity for perpetrators of

gender-based violence, discouraging victims from filing complaints.

Similarly, these anti-rights movements inflict a double marginalization on girls: as

as children and as women with the validation of early and forced marriages which

compromise their education and trap them in a cycle of poverty.

Refusal to promote sexual and reproductive rights increases pregnancies

adolescent girls and school dropouts. The persistence of female genital mutilation

(FGM), tolerated or minimized, directly violates their bodily integrity and dignity

human. These practices compromise the ability of new generations to enjoy

fully enjoy their fundamental rights and to participate in the development of the country.

As a result, women and girls remain exposed to a spiral of violence that affects

their physical health, their psychological well-being and their socio-economic future.

A flagrant violation of international commitments

By blocking legal and social reforms, these movements place Senegal in

contradiction with its international commitments such as:

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

(CEDAW) ratified in 1985, remains a dead letter in the face of the maintenance of the Family Code

discriminatory of 1972;

The Maputo Protocol, ratified in 2004, requires the protection of women from violence and access to abortion in cases of rape or incest. Nothing has been done in this regard;

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3 and 5) on health and gender equality are compromised.

Anti-rights movements therefore not only hinder progress, they also lead to

Senegal in a normative decline contrary to international standards.

Towards a systemic regression of human rights

The consequences go beyond women's rights to affect the whole of

civic space Feminists and human rights defenders are under attack,

cyberbullying and physical threats, which limits their freedom of expression and their

security. Fear leads to self-censorship among academics, journalists and associations,

preventing open and pluralistic public debate. Democratic institutions allow themselves to be

influenced by religious and populist pressures, which reduces their independence and

weakens the rule of law. By attacking the rights of women and girls, the movements

anti-rights weaken all human rights They redefine citizenship in a way

exclusive, where only certain groups that conform to conservative norms are considered

as legitimate by establishing a hierarchy between “acceptable” rights (freedom of worship) and

“rejected” rights (gender equality, bodily autonomy), weaken collective security and

by promoting polarization, hatred and social tensions. Their action does not constitute

a simple ideological contestation, it is an enterprise of systemic regression which puts

the foundation of universal human rights is in danger.

The rise of anti-rights movements in Senegal is not limited to a debate on values, it

has dramatic and measurable consequences on the lives of women and girls,

while compromising the country's democratic future and international commitments.

Faced with this danger, scientific analysis reveals an inescapable truth: protecting rights

of women is to protect democracy and human rights as a whole.

complacency towards anti-rights movements is tantamount to condoning violence and exclusion

and social regression.

Osama Monica Sagna

Lawyer - Journalist - Feminist

Auteur: Oussama Monica SAGNA
Publié le: Samedi 18 Octobre 2025

Commentaires (12)

  • image
    YOFF il y a 20 heures

    c'est un long combat noble la Sénégalaise a des droits
    en observant de loin pays occidentaux le droit des femmes régule aussi
    restons mobilisés le Sénégal sera le gagnant
    Courage

  • image
    Niit il y a 20 heures

    La Republique des Bissau Guinéens de la Casamance.
    Ndeyssaan, les Wolofs, Sereers, Halpulaars de PASTEF n'ont toujours rien compris des procédés des diolas.
    Pas de partage de gâteau mais les diolas tentent de prendre subtilement le pouvoir mais c’est peine perdue. 2,5 % de la population.
    Heureusement que le Bon Dieu nous a montré leurs vrais visages.
    2029 Inshallah, leep leer

  • image
    Anta diop il y a 20 heures

    Ce sont dès dangers pour la société

  • image
    Anti Feministe il y a 19 heures

    C est surtout vous le féministes sataniques financées et manipulées par l occident qui êtes le vrai Danger.
    Les africains en ont marre de la rhétorique et du narratif venu de l Europe.
    Ces manipulateurs ne respectent rien,ils n ont ni foi foi ,ni loi,et veulent nous imposer leurs "valeurs",tout en remettant celles des autres.
    L Afrique n accepte plus cette manipulation,et resté profondément attachée a ses valeurs,comme tout individu normal.
    Alors ,foutre la paix gens,travaillez comme tout le monde,et arrêtez d emmerder les gens avec les Droits,les Droits,les Acquis et les Avantages,arrêtez d arnaquer les Hommes pour leur soutirer de l argent,arrêtez d utiliser le mariage comme moyen d extorsion de fonds.

  • image
    Senegalais il y a 19 heures

    Les féministes sont un cancer a combattre.
    Y en a marre de ces éternelles revendications.
    Dans une societé tout le monde a des Droits,mais aussi des Devoirs.
    Mais ces pétasses ne sont interessées que par les avantages et les facilités.
    Y en a marre

  • image
    Moussa lo il y a 19 heures

    Elles sont nuisibles parce qu en les écoutant ,nos filles,soeurs,niéces et épouses auront l impression qu elles n ont aucun devoir dans la Societé,mais que des Droits.

  • image
    Elhadji il y a 19 heures

    Beug Lou yomb rek

  • image
    Tyrh il y a 19 heures

    Des bissau 🇬🇼 ont pris le pouvoir au pays de la teranga ils ne representent que 2% de la population c pas possible

  • image
    Oustaz Jacuzzi il y a 18 heures

    @Moussa lo: respecte notre maitre (nos filles, sœurs, nièces et épouses)...................gourou dit des guenons...

  • image
    Diouma il y a 17 heures

    Les hommes qui pleurent parce qu’ils pensent que les femmes vont se venger

  • image
    nogaye il y a 12 heures

    Les hommes sénégalais de vrais misogyne de merde, regardez les pleurer parce que les femmes réclament la liberté

  • image
    Bineta il y a 12 heures

    les hommes sénégalais sont des esclavagistes, ils détestent les fenministes parce qu'ils veulent continuer a esclavagisme les femmes sénégalaises

Participer à la Discussion