Respecting, Protecting and Empowering Young Women and Girls in Senegal

Earlier this year, I traveled to Senegal with a group of UNICEF USA colleagues and supporters for a firsthand look at how UNICEF-supported programming supports and empowers young women and girls.

We saw collaborative efforts that help address persistent barriers that hold girls back from reaching their full potential, including gender-based violence and limited access to education. Our visits showed the power of local partnerships in creating more opportunities for girls to learn, lead and thrive in safe and supportive environments.

We also saw tangible progress toward protecting girls’ rights, from health programming to education that equips them with the knowledge and skills they need to build brighter futures.

Here are some highlights.

Women Teachers’ Network: Improving menstrual health and hygiene

At Lycee Omar Lamine Badji in Ziguinchor, Senegal, a group known as the Women Teachers’ Network promotes girls’ education and protection by training them on critical issues. The activities are part of a broader initiative being implemented in about 40 schools that, according to UNICEF Senegal Education Specialist Maty Gueye, has seen success in reducing child marriage, early pregnancy and school dropout rates.

A key focus is menstrual hygiene education. During our program visit, we joined a session with over 50 students, both boys and girls. During the discussion, participants shared their experiences with menstruation and related struggles, and exchanged helpful information to break down stigmas and offer support. 

“When I got my period, I asked for an explanation, hoping for reassurance that there was nothing wrong with me," one student recounted. "Instead, my mother’s only advice was to avoid going near boys.” Another shared that her cousins teased her, while others relied on the internet for information.

The Women Teachers Network also runs workshops where instructors demonstrate hygiene practices, including how to use and properly dispose of sanitary pads. A lack of these products can keep girls out of school or cause infection. 

“My teachers guide me and help me find solutions to the problems that I face," explained Diedhiou, 18. 

Diedhou told us she enjoys learning about topics like preventing early pregnancy, menstrual health and staying in school. These topics are relevant to her life, she said. "Plus, we have fun, learning through song and connection.” 

Diedhou aspires to be a nurse and believes the lessons will help her achieve her goals. Many girls noted that, thanks to the support and guidance they received through the Women Teachers' Network, they are less likely to miss school when they have their periods.  

UNICEF’s Young Girls’ Club: Fighting to eliminate FGM 

At the Young Girls’ Club, housed at the Centre Conseil Ado in Kolda, a network of young leaders is working to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM), a dangerous practice that 2 million girls and women of Senegal have experienced. 

Club members organize awareness campaigns, home visits and community dialogues around ending FGM, among other protection issues. UNICEF provides financial and technical support.

While visiting the Girls' Club, we met Sally Sadio, a 23-year-old FGM survivor with a disability caused by the procedure. She told us how, through Girls' Club programming, she gained leadership and communication skills and received vocational training. She now leads outreach efforts in villages, working to sensitize community leaders to the dangers of FGM. 

Years ago, it was very difficult for UNICEF staffers, community leaders and NGO personnel to talk about FGM. Some even had rocks thrown at them. Having young women with firsthand experience of the procedure advocating for change is an effective tactic.

For Sadio, being part of the Girls' Club community also helped her find acceptance and support from her peers, which she says has made her disability easier to cope with.

Another member of the Girls' Club, Khadi, uses slam poetry to share her painful experience of undergoing FGM at age 7; she performed her poem during our group's visit. She took a coding class, later winning a prize in digital science. After completing leadership training, she was selected to train her fellow students on taboo topics such as gender-based violence. 

“Girls see me talk about menstrual hygiene and protection and this is how I impact a lot of people,” Khadi said. “I have more self-confidence. I know where I want to go.”

Centre de Formation Professionnelle: Building skills, opening doors to employment 

In Kolda, we visited a UNICEF-supported center focused on helping girls stay in school by facilitating access to menstrual hygiene products — specifically washable sanitary pads. 

Founded in 1964, the Centre de Formation Professionnelle (CFP) serves over 450 youth, 80 percent of whom are girls. The center offers training in food production, handicrafts and agriculture, along with the manufacture of the reusable pads. 

During our visit, we met with Mame Mbenda Ndour, the head of the center, who gave us a tour of CFP’s facility, where 35 young women had recently completed a 27-day training in pad production.

Pads made at CFP last for two years, making them a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to disposable pads. Having access to pads helps girls avoid missing school when they are menstruating. 

The center has produced over 25,000 pads, donating some to schools and selling others for profit. And the skills being taught can be applied to other income-generating activities, such as tailoring, providing a pathway to economic independence.

Learn more about how UNICEF is skilling youth — opening doors to employment and changing lives.

Kulimaroo: Sheltering and supporting victims of abuse

Kulimaroo, a women’s shelter in Senegal, has been supporting victims of abuse for 40 years, with support from UNICEF and other organizations. The center provides psychosocial, medical and legal assistance, crafting individualized support plans for each resident. The center also offers vocational workshops in dyeing, tailoring and artisan skills, helping girls and women rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.

Many girls arrive after experiencing violence or sexual abuse, often facing health challenges, such as obstetric fistulas. Girls and women typically stay a few weeks, though there are some cases in which they stay longer. A 16-year-old girl has lived at the center for two and a half years; Kulimaroo became her legal guardian when her family asked her not to move home after the girl’s father was jailed for raping her. 

Kulimaroo can house 18 women at a time but often accommodates more when necessary. The shelter’s director, Khadija Rassoule Gueye, and nurse, Sira Correa, are both volunteers deeply committed to their work. 

“The smiles of the girls keep us here," Correa told us. "And the acknowledgement from their parents keeps us going.”  Gueye added: “You have to be mentally strong to do this work. Sometimes my energy will be low but when I look at the results, it gives me hope.” 

Learn more about how UNICEF is helping children in Senegal.

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Angela Duffy is UNICEF USA's Senior Director for Strategic Marketing & Communications. Her previous article covers how UNICEF is working in Senegal's rural communities to strengthen health systems.