Dakar protest against rising femicides demands urgent action

On a quiet Sunday afternoon in Dakar, a small but determined group of activists took to the streets to voice outrage over the escalating wave of femicides gripping Senegal. With fewer than two dozen participants, the demonstration sent a powerful message, echoing through the city with slogans like Silence is no longer acceptable and The state does not own your lives!

At the forefront of the protest was Aminata Libain Mbengue, a prominent feminist leader whose impassioned speech laid bare the frustration of women across the country. ‘Even the President acknowledged in his New Year’s address that urgent measures were needed to curb femicides,’ she declared. ‘Yet here we are, still waiting. How many more women and girls must perish before the government of Senegal fulfills its duty?’

Government inaction fuels outrage

The demonstration, though modest in size, carried a weighty demand: immediate governmental action. The activists condemned the casual treatment of femicides as mere news stories, pointing to a recent case involving a two-year-old child who was brutally raped and murdered. ‘Where is the statement from the Ministry of Family and Social Solidarity?’ Mbengue questioned. ‘This is a scandal. Every time a woman or girl is killed, the government must respond with decisive action. It is their responsibility to protect us, yet they continue to fail.’

The protestors made one thing clear: the recognition of femicide in Senegal’s penal code is non-negotiable. ‘Women’s lives cannot afford to wait any longer,’ Mbengue asserted. ‘We will not rest until this violence is treated with the gravity it deserves.’

As the sun began to set, the group dispersed with a resolute vow: they would return to the streets after every femicide until the government finally took meaningful steps to address the crisis. The message was unmistakable—change is not coming fast enough, and the patience of Senegal’s women has worn thin.