- Senegal’s only female presidential candidate, Anta Babacar Ngom, is unlikely to win Sunday’s election, but her candidacy is seen as a milestone.
- Ms Ngom, a business executive, promised to create millions of jobs and establish a women’s bank to promote economic independence.
- Mr. Gom’s supporters have expressed hope for changes under the new government, citing an urgent need to tackle unemployment and improve job security.
Senegal’s only female presidential candidate may have little chance of winning Sunday’s election, but activists say her presence will advance a decades-long movement to achieve gender equality in the West African country. claims to be helpful.
Anta Babacar Ngom, a 40-year-old businesswoman, is a voice for women and young people who have been hit hard by the country’s economic problems, widespread unemployment and rising prices. She promised to create millions of jobs and create a bank to support women’s economic independence.
“Our country has immense potential. The natural resources exist and can be developed,” she told The Associated Press. “The young women I meet come to me for support because they know that when women are in power, we can end their suffering. .I have no intention of forgetting them.”
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While few expect Gong to be among the top presidential candidates, activists say the fact that a woman is running for office for the first time in years shows how far women have come in the fight for equality. It is said that it reflects the current situation.
Presidential candidate Anta Babacar Ngom greets supporters during a campaign caravan in Dakar, Senegal, March 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)
“Even if we don’t have the chance, we have to be there,” said activist and sociologist Celie Barr. “We don’t stand a chance in this election, but it’s important that women candidates and women participate in the campaign.”
Ngom is the first female candidate to run for president in more than a decade, and activists say progress has been frustratingly slow among young people toward more traditional views of women’s roles in society. It reflects that.
Popular social media accounts are often posted by Senegalese from abroad, where there is greater freedom of speech, discussing taboo topics such as sex before marriage and whether polygamy is fair.
One TikTok user named Ngo Keĩta plays the role of a popular distressed aunt and posts clips in Wolof, Senegal’s most widely spoken language. One clip, which has been viewed more than 2 million times, depicts a violent feud between a woman and her husband in a polygamous marriage and asks followers to comment.
Ngo Keita did not respond to a written request for comment.
Marieme Wone Lee, who became Senegal’s first woman to lead a political party more than 20 years ago, said some young Senegalese women are returning to traditional ideas about marriage.
“We have to be very careful. There are certain setbacks,” she said, and how misinterpretations of Islam can work against the forces of progress toward equality. mentioned. “Despite parity, we have fallen back a little bit.”
Throughout the 1990s, Senegalese women mobilized through grassroots organizations. The country appointed its first female prime minister in 2001, and in 2010 passed a law requiring all political parties to introduce gender parity in their electoral lists, promoting women’s political participation.
“Women’s rights have evolved at the political level over the past decade, especially since the Gender Equality Act came into force,” said Busso Sambé, a former member of parliament, adding that women still do not have access to the law institutionally. He added that he had not.
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Two women ran for president in 2012, each receiving less than 1% of the vote, but analysts say their participation was important. Senegal’s women now make up more than 40% of parliament, making it one of the highest-level representatives in Africa.
“It is important to balance modern evolution with respect for our customs. Women must maintain our cultural identity and respect the traditional values that have shaped our society. However, they must be able to express themselves without hindrance,” Ngom told The Associated Press.
Mr Ngom, who runs his family’s food company, has made the economy a focus of his campaign, with most analysts agreeing that it is a key concern for the public. Economic hardship has led thousands of Senegalese to attempt dangerous journeys in search of a better life in the West.
Supporters of Ms Gom said they were proud to support a female candidate and hoped for changes from the incoming administration.
“Our children are dying at sea because of unemployment and job insecurity. Unemployment is endemic. Women are tired,” activist Aisha Ba said at a recent rally.
