Senegal
In Senegal, HI is working to develop an inclusive, sustainable and equitable society to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities and individuals experiencing hardship.
Manual demining team: Maïbata Sané, Idrissa Manga, Pierre Marie Badji and Moussa Traoré. | © A. Faye / HI
Our actions
Today, Humanity & Inclusion’s program in Senegal is working where the needs are greatest, namely in Casamance and the Saint-Louis region.
The program implements training, vocational and economic inclusion projects for people with disabilities to help advance equal opportunities. It is running several inclusive education and economic inclusion projects to increase basic education opportunities, develop skills and promote the success of young people with disabilities throughout the learning process. To combat prejudice and improve teacher training, its teams work alongside local authorities and support Senegalese associations in their advocacy activities. They also work to raise awareness among the various actors in the world of employment and to improve the accessibility of services and structures. HI is also taking part in a study in Dakar to promote universal accessibility in urban areas and social housing.
HiI teams are working to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities, with a particular focus on violence against women and girls with disabilities. In doing so, it supports associations and women with disabilities leading the response to violence and discrimination.
In the health field, HI’s program promotes access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, focusing on women and girls. Our teams carry out awareness-raising and training activities with civil society organizations. In Saint-Louis, HI works with civil society organizations and healthcare professionals to provide appropriate care for diabetes patients. In this region, where the prevalence rate of the disease is particularly high, our teams also carry out advocacy and awareness-raising activities. Physical and functional rehabilitation projects are run to strengthen existing health centers and their capacity to case-manage patients.
Finally, HI's program in Senegal implements demining, non-technical surveys and risk education activities to promote the construction of a lasting peace in Casamance, a region deeply affected by forty years of conflict. Our teams are conducting manual, mechanical and animal demining operations, with the aim of releasing land back to the population and improving access to services for all.
Areas of intervention
Latest stories
In Casamance, hope and the future are female
For 40 years, Casamance has been torn apart by conflict. Yet the women there have mobilized and become essential actors in the building of peace: they are the future.
Martine, a mine accident survivor, tells her story to raise awareness of the risks
Martine comes from Senegal. In 2009, she was injured in a mine explosion. Since then, she has been speaking out to raise awareness of the dangers of explosive devices and prevent further accidents.
Good news in February at HI: demining in Senegal, inclusive development in Venezuela, post-emergency rehabilitation in Morocco and advocacy in the Philippines.
a life
Background
Senegal is a major economic power in West Africa, but a substantial percentage of the country's population lives in a situation of intense poverty. People with disabilities are often discriminated against and face extreme hardship.
The country is politically stable and economically dynamic, although the COVID-19 pandemic affected growth in 2020. Despite this stability, the crisis in Casamance, ongoing for 40 years, has caused a large number of mine accidents. In Senegal, the management of small arms and explosive weapons remains a sensitive issue. The Casamance conflict has led to population displacements and access to agricultural land is limited in this region, considered the 'breadbasket of Senegal."
The legislative framework for disability has changed for the better since 2010 when Senegal ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, people with disabilities still face barriers on a daily basis when trying to access health, education and employment services. Victims of discrimination and those marginalized within society continue to fight for recognition of their fundamental rights. Increasing the school attendance rate of children with disabilities, which is far below the national average, is one of the big challenges in the development of education in the country.
Number of HI staff members: 80
Date the program opened: 1995
