Dakar, June 28 (APS) – Women In Mining Senegal (WIM Senegal), a community network dedicated to promoting female leadership and women’s empowerment in the extractive industries, organized a round table on Friday on the effectiveness of the legal provisions of the Mining Code relating to the consideration of economic empowerment projects for women in impacted communities in the local development support fund.
The meeting also aims to “promote inclusive and participatory governance by strengthening the capacities of community women’s networks, to advocate for the effectiveness of their rights and to actively participate in the development and implementation of local policies for more gender sensitivity”
The participants come from the regions of Matam, Saint-Louis, Kédougou, Thiès and Fatick.
“It is about thinking about a roadmap to strengthen the effectiveness of women’s rights in extractive sectors such as oil and gas, but above all, to anticipate funds to support local development,” said the advocacy manager of the NGO “women mining in Senegal” (WIM), Gnagna Diène Diassé.
She maintained that “these women’s networks were formed in each of these regions, not only to support them in mobilizing resources but also to help them multiply economic empowerment mechanisms”.
“These women are now having enough resources to not only express their leadership and advocate but also support the girls in their community so that they can go to school,” she said. added.
According to Ms. Diassé, this meeting allows for the formation of a “strategic alliance” aimed at helping women to think and speak “with one voice, to amplify it and to bring their own advocacy to decision-makers.”
“(…) the 5 regions met here, to be strengthened and prepared to make a strong plea around article 115 of the mining code which speaks of local development support funds”, indicated for his part, the focal point of WIM Senegal, in the region of Matam, Ousmane Bâ.
He, however, recalled the fact that this fund is not yet effective, while stressing its importance in the development of communities.
“It is about making a plea around an argument which allows us to gather the essential elements to be able to speak to the authorities who will make decisions, in particular the Minister of Mines,” he explained.
WIM is a network dedicated to the promotion of female leadership and the empowerment of women in the extractive industries in Senegal, which polarizes more than 100 organizations, 50 thousand women and young people at the community level.
In addition to the roundtable, Women In Mining Senegal plans to organize the first edition of the “Gender Awards,” an event aimed at “celebrating and promoting inclusion and female leadership in the mining, oil and gas sector in Senegal.”
AMN/SBS/OID
