Strengthening women’s leadership and empowerment: ensuring women’s economic rights (FLOW Project)

Strengthening women’s leadership and empowerment: ensuring women’s economic independence Developing countries are home to 98 per cent of the world’s undernourished people (FAO, 2012) and 60 per cent of women are affected by hunger (ECOSOC, 2007). Nearly half of Senegal’s population lives below the poverty line – on less than $1 a day (ANSAD, 2007). Women suffer the most from this situation (World Bank, 2009) and the phenomenon is more prevalent in urban areas than in rural ones.

Paradoxically, there is a significant imbalance between the principle of equality and the actual enjoyment of women’s rights. Whether in terms of representation, access to decision-making powers or the consideration of specific concerns, men and women are not on an equal footing in Senegal.

Despite the attention paid to women through the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Millennium Development Goals and the law on gender parity (recently passed in Senegal), women continue to face difficulties in effectively fulfilling their multiple roles within their communities.

General objective of the programme

The programme aims to develop women’s capacities and strengthen their leadership to enable greater participation in decision-making at various levels, thereby ensuring their economic self-sufficiency.

The specific objectives are as follows:
to master the main communication tools and mechanisms: (to develop and/or strengthen rural women’s capacities and opportunities for expression and action);
to strengthen their capacity (notably through training) to support rural women in analysing situations, engaging in consultation, negotiating, and defending their rights and interests (particularly regarding food security, access to land, water, education, healthcare and productive resources);
to promote the emergence of women leaders and support them in the empowerment process;
to encourage women leaders to undertake advocacy actions.
Expected outcomes

Outcome 1: The leadership capacities of 100 women (in particular smallholder women farmers, agricultural workers, indigenous women and women in urban poor areas) are strengthened.

Outcome 2: Policy-makers and opinion leaders in Senegal and at the international level are informed about the need for political support for women in relation to food security (women’s rights to land and productive resources and their increased role in food production and agriculture).

Development of information and warning posters for the safe management of pesticides within the FPA unions (Bey Dunde Project).

‘BEY DUNDE’ Project to Support the Rice Sector for Food Security

Raising awareness amongst schoolchildren and the development of information and warning posters on pesticide management within the Unions of the Federation of Self-Managed Perimeters of Senegal (FPA).

Context of the intervention

The ‘Bey Dunde’ Project to support the rice sector for food security is based in the Senegal River delta. As part of the project’s activities, an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) is currently being implemented and includes a significant component on the safe use and management of pesticides. Following contact with the managers of the ‘Bey Dunde’ project, PAN Africa has proposed producing information and warning posters for the seven (7) water management unions of the FPA.

PAN Africa is an information and action network for pesticide control. Through its activities, it has gained over a decade’s experience in preparing and disseminating awareness-raising materials (posters, leaflets, etc.) in various languages (both international and local) covering various aspects of pesticide management.

Objectives of the mission

The objective is to develop information and warning posters promoting the safe use and management of pesticides across the seven (7) water users’ associations of the FPA. These are the associations of: Pont-Gendarme, Thilène, Boundoum, Kassack North, Kassack South, Thiagar and Dagana.

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