Senegal faces calls for child protection and women's safety reforms

In Dakar, Madeleine Thérèse Diouf of the NGO Secours Islamique France (SIF) has called for improved collaboration among departmental child protection committees (CDPE) to increase the effectiveness of field interventions. During a meeting to review 2025 activities and plan for 2026, Diouf highlighted that 971 orphans in the Dakar region receive monthly stipends and savings support, totaling over 200 million FCFA annually. The program also provides universal health coverage enrollment and vocational training support.

Separately, Senegal is experiencing significant public outcry following a series of murders targeting young women, including Mame Diarra Sow and Aminata Sy. With thirteen victims reported since the beginning of the year, civil society and feminist movements are criticizing the Ministry of Family and Solidarity for its perceived silence. Activists are demanding that the government officially condemn the violence, include femicide in the penal code, and establish a national prevention plan featuring emergency shelters and prioritized legal support for victims of domestic violence.