# Women's peace and empowerment initiatives in Senegal

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/womens-peace-and-empowerment-initiatives-in-senegal
> Updated: 2026-10-02T17:22:34.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 3.

Senegal has undertaken several initiatives focused on women’s roles in peacebuilding and social stability. 

In early September 2026, the Senegalese National Police launched Project Elsie, making Senegal the first African nation to participate in the program. The initiative held a workshop for 50 female officers to provide mentorship, leadership development, and psychosocial support training to prepare them for international peacekeeping roles, including deployments with MONUSCO.

Following this, UN Women conducted a mission in the Casamance region to promote peace consolidation and economic empowerment. This mission resulted in the launch of the Casamance Mediators’ Circle, which utilizes traditional queens and women’s organization leaders to facilitate mediation. Additionally, the mission provided resources to a support center in Ziguinchor to combat gender-based violence and support victims in the Ziguinchor, Kolda, and Sédhiou regions.

On October 2, 2026, Senegal’s Minister of Justice, Moussa Sarr, met with UN Under-Secretary-General and Victims’ Rights Advocate Najla Nassif Palma to discuss strengthening cooperation regarding the protection and support of victims of sexual violence and abuse. The discussions centered on improving access to justice and institutionalizing support for women and girls. Minister Sarr emphasized the necessity of an ‘ethics of responsibility’ among personnel in UN operations to address sexual abuse concerns. Both parties discussed the potential formation of a dedicated reflection committee to address these challenges, though no timeline has been set.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-02: Senegal and UN seek to strengthen support for sexual violence victims

Senegal and the United Nations are collaborating to enhance the protection, legal access, and institutional support for victims of sexual violence, particularly women and girls.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/senegal-and-un-seek-to-strengthen-support-for-sexual-violence-victims

### 2026-09-13: UN Women conducts peace and empowerment mission in Casamance

UN Women conducted a mission in Senegal's Casamance region to promote peacebuilding, economic empowerment, and support for victims of gender-based violence through mediation initiatives and resource provision.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/un-women-conducts-peace-and-empowerment-mission-in-casamance

### 2026-09-05: Senegal implements Project Elsie to boost women in peacekeeping

Senegal is utilizing Project Elsie to enhance the participation of female police officers in UN peacekeeping missions through specialized mentorship and psychosocial training.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/senegal-implements-project-elsie-to-boost-women-in-peacekeeping

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Cite as: Women's peace and empowerment initiatives in Senegal. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/womens-peace-and-empowerment-initiatives-in-senegal