Kédougou, Oct 2 (APS) – An advocacy forum for the allocation of at least 30% of the local development support fund (FADL) to women and girls impacted by mining was held Wednesday in Kédougou .
”The objective of the 30% campaign is to first enable the effectiveness of the local development support fund for economic activities with the aim of empowering women and facilitating access to education for young people girls in target localities in mining areas,” explained Thialy Faye, head of the Economic Justice program at Oxfam-Senegal.
He spoke thus during the advocacy forum for the allocation of at least 30% of the local development support fund to women and girls from local authorities, in the presence of the representative of the Departmental Council and that of the Kédougou town hall. .
The FADL is funding granted by mining companies operating in the Kédougou region to support local authorities located in mining areas.
This fund, intended to empower women and young girls, is financed to the tune of 0.5% of the annual tax-free turnover of operating mining companies, according to Thialy Faye.
”With a view to an inclusive distribution of income from extractive activity, the State of Senegal, through the 2016 mining code, introduced new funds for the benefit of local authorities impacted by mining and local populations,” he recalled.
Thialy Faye thus raised awareness among the communities of the local authorities of Kédougou and Khossanto of the need to have resources through the allocation of 30% of the local development support fund, in order to develop economic empowerment activities for women. and girls.
“We have already had the commitment of the authorities and we have been able to raise awareness among the communities. We must now continue this advocacy so that we can further support these women who are vulnerable in these mining areas,” he said.
The deputy prefect of Kédougou welcomed the 30% campaign initiated by Oxfam and its partners on the issue of automation of women and girls through the local development support fund for local authorities impacted by mining .
”It will first be necessary to preserve the achievements within the framework of the protocols signed between certain local authorities and the mining companies of the region and on the side if the fund is funded in these municipalities it will also allow the training and support of women and of girls in the context of economic empowerment,” argued Papa Abdoulaye Mbaye.
He reassured that the administration will commit to supporting all development actions for the benefit of communities bordering mining activity sites.
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