From struggle to strength
Across Senegal, women are rewriting the narrative of land ownership; one community, one voice, one hectare at a time. Through the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) campaign, local women are rising as leaders, reclaiming their rights, and cultivating change for future generations.
In the village of Wack Ngouna, a community dialogue brought together women, local leaders, and husbands to openly discuss the persistent barriers to land access, discrimination, customary practices, and lack of financial resources. For the first time, the village chief and deputy mayor pledged support for women’s equal land access.
“I never knew we had rights to this land. Now, I help others understand what belongs to us.” – Community Facilitator.
“We’re finally being heard. This dialogue changed how our leaders see our struggle.” – Participant
Leading the way: Trained leaders from the S4HL initiative engage their communities in inclusive dialogues on land rights, equipping women with legal literacy and the courage to act.
Turning advocacy into action: The RNFRS President Aïda Cissé submits a collective land application to municipal authorities.
In Darou Khoudoss, Aïda Cissé led a group of rural women to submit formal land requests. This act is both symbolic and strategic; women now understand the system and how to navigate it effectively. They are claiming land with confidence and legality on their side.
At a public forum in the Niayes zone, women raised powerful concerns, including the degradation of land, broken promises by extractive industries, excessive water use, and unclear land boundaries. Their advocacy aims to influence the revision of Senegal’s Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Law to center women's voices and ensure corporate accountability.
"Industries took this land. Now, it feeds our families.”
Reclaiming the Land: Women advocate for the restoration of mining lands for sustainable farming, demanding environmental justice and land restitution.
Economic empowerment through innovation: With secure land and an entrepreneurial spirit, rural women generate a steady income through livestock feed sales and the sale of essential goods, thereby building local economies.
Started by DINFEL and later supported by the World Bank and national programs, the Boutique Pastorale model provides rural women with both livelihood opportunities and leadership development. In Koussanar, a women-led shop generates over 120,000 CFA francs monthly, improving market access and financial autonomy in a once-isolated area.
Secure land = stronger families + resilient economies.
The S4HL campaign in Senegal is a testament to the fact that when women gain secure access to land, the entire community thrives. From grassroots mobilization to national legal reforms, their journey is far from over, but the momentum is real. Now is the time to invest deeper in women’s rights, water access, agroecology, and fair markets.
Land rights are human rights. When women stand for their land, they stand for us all.
