Senegal: on the horizon of local elections, women storming town halls
The Women Leaders Caucus supports the current mayor of Dakar, Soham el-Wardini (illustrative image) AFP - JUAN MABROMATA
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2 min
Last straight line before the deadline for submitting candidatures for the local elections of January 23, 2022: it will be this Thursday, November 4.
Today, 98% of the country's town halls are headed by men, according to the Women Leaders Caucus.
An imbalance, despite the adoption of a law on parity in 2010. The structure launched a mobilization called "women assaulting town halls", so that there are more women on the lists.
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With our correspondent in Dakar,
Charlotte Idrac
Of Senegal's 557 municipalities, only 15 are currently headed by female mayors.
A paltry number deplores the sociologist Fatou Sow Sarr, president of the Caucus of women leaders.
“
On the list of the Ministry of the Interior, there were 322 political parties and 18 parties led by women.
Since coalitions or parties are led by men and negotiations are done to serve the parties, it is the party leaders who are served.
"
For a year, the Caucus has therefore met with the various party leaders, with one objective: the presence of at least 10% of women on the lists.
“
Usually they all promise the moon, but the reality of the matter is, it's difficult.
But there are some interesting things.
Many women have decided to make their own list or go to other coalitions.
So there is a craze.
Pressure is building.
"
The structure has already identified at least 107 women candidates for candidacy for the locals.
Among them, Nafissatou Wade, also a founding member of the Caucus of Women Leaders.
“
Compared to everything that is happening today when we talk about the problem of land and corruption, we have seen that in the governance of the 15 women mayors, no woman has been singled out.
We are not in duality, but in complementarity.
"
In this logic, the Caucus supports the current mayor of Dakar, Soham El Wardini, whose candidacy is not unanimous within the opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi.
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Senegal
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