A two-day workshop dedicated to strengthening the capacities of local stakeholders on gender equality and inclusion has opened in Kaffrine. This session is part of the Support Program for Strengthening the Capacities of Local Stakeholders, implemented in the regions of Kaffrine, Fatick, and Kaolack, with the support of bilateral cooperation between Senegal and Belgium.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Aby Ba, in charge of gender advocacy communication and partnership at the Directorate of Equity and Gender Equality, stressed the strategic importance of this training.

According to her, "this workshop on human rights and gender-based violence is of paramount importance for the Kaffrine region." She specifies that this activity is part of the National Capacity Building Program on Gender Equality and Inclusion.

Aby Ba also recalled the symbolic context of the launch of this session:

"This program is part of the bilateral cooperation between Senegal and Belgium, and this training session comes at a symbolic time as it coincides with the launch of the sixteen days of activism, an international campaign calling for strengthened action to eliminate violence."

She adds that "this training workshop is fully in line with this global dynamic by providing concrete answers adapted to local actions and the needs of communities in the Kaffrine region."

Emphasizing expectations, Ms. Ba reiterated that "more than ever, it is essential that local actors have robust tools to promote human rights, prevent gender-based violence, protect victims, and also support communities."

For her, capacity building remains "one of the most effective levers for achieving the goals of eliminating gender-based violence."

She concluded by stating: "Following this workshop, we expect local actors to be able to scale up at the grassroots level, but also to consolidate their actions to achieve the goal of eliminating gender-based violence."

Representing the governor of Kaffrine, Boubacar Ba, deputy prefect, welcomed the initiative. He emphasized that the workshop's main objective was to equip participants with appropriate tools: "The goal is to strengthen the skills of local stakeholders, particularly institutional, religious, and community actors, in order to better address issues related to fundamental rights, gender-based violence, and the protection of women's rights."

According to him, the aim is to enable everyone "to acquire the necessary tools to contribute effectively to the promotion and protection of human rights, particularly those of women, and to encourage increased participation in the elimination of gender-based violence."

This workshop thus marks an important step towards better involvement of local actors in the fight against violence against women and the promotion of gender equality in the Kaffrine region.