Letter of the Day | The forgotten women of Sahel

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The world is becoming increasingly hostile towards women and girls. Sadly, by now each one of us may know of someone who has been targeted on the basis of gender-based violence. What is equally disturbing is the fact that the public opposition regarding gender-based violence is increasingly deafening. One area of the world where the spotlight dims regarding the rights of women and girls is the Sahel region of Africa.

Sahel, meaning “the shore” in Arabic, is a vast area crossing 6,000 kilometres from East Africa to West Africa. It covers many geographic and agro-ecological systems, 12 countries, and is home to 400 million people. The political region of the Sahel, as defined by the United Nations strategy (UNISS), covers 10 countries (Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria). The region faces many challenges. Climate change threatens to further degrade land, vegetation, water resources and food systems, through increased incidence of drought, desertification and floods. The most recent report from the United Nations (UN) Women paints a bleak and troubling picture concerning the plight and status of women and girls in the Sahel region.

UN Women states that, in Africa’s Sahel region, deepening violence and poverty, driven by displacement, hunger and terrorism, are stripping women and girls of their right to safety, education and a viable future. According to Sima Bahous, executive director of UN Women, risks to women and girls across this region are severe and systemic, as political instability, environmental collapse and a declining international presence take their toll. From abductions and child marriage to exclusion from schools and public life, their lives and opportunities are being steadily stripped away. In an address to ambassadors in the UN Security Council, Bahous added that crises because of increasing terrorism, poverty, hunger, a crumbling aid system and shrinking civic space are “converging violently and disproportionately on their bodies and their futures”.

It is very obvious that what is being done to women and girls is intentional. In countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad, life for women under extremist control “is one of erasure from public space”, Bahous said. Their movement, visibility and even clothing are heavily restricted. Schools have been burned or shut down, leaving more than one million girls without access to education. Abduction is not a by-product of terrorism in the Sahel, it is a tactic,” Bahous said, noting that, in Burkina Faso alone, the number of women and girls abducted has more than doubled over the past 18 months. In Mali, 90 per cent of women are affected by female genital mutilation. Rates of child marriage in parts of the region are among the highest in the world. Maternal mortality driven by early pregnancy and poverty is among the world’s worst.

There are commonalties among the countries of the Sahel region; they are deeply rooted in patriarchy and are politically unstable. Both indicators place more pressure on the rights of women and girls.

In spite of increasing needs, international support is waning. Perhaps this is because there are so many hotspots in the world today competing for global attention. Or it could be that Africa is not seen as a major player in the scheme of global affairs? The situation is dire. “The distances women and girls travel for water or firewood are growing longer while their safety is shrinking,” Bahous said. Two-thirds of women surveyed report feeling unsafe during these journeys. Climate change only deepens the hardship, with extreme heat and drought increasing both mortality and food insecurity across the region.

Leonardo Santos Simão, head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), also warned that a deteriorating security environment, marked by waves of jihadist attacks and political turbulence, is undermining progress and fuelling displacement. He added that shrinking space for media, civil society and women’s organisations is threatening hard-won gains, and that a broader crisis is undermining governance and peace-building efforts. The international community should not abandon the Sahel region.

The international community should give some attention to this almost forgotten region. One such way is by increasing development assistance to the region and holding governments accountable. Additionally, there needs to be some interrogation of cultural and traditional practices regarding how women are treated. The protections of women, as well as a commitment to uphold gender equality, are critical pillars for sustainable development and growth. Will the international community stand with the women of Sahel?

WAYNE CAMPBELL

waykam@yahoo.com