Women and girls in Dakar, Senegal, staged a protest on Sunday, July 12, demanding urgent Government action to address rising cases of femicide following a series of killings that have sparked public concern.
The demonstration followed the murders of a young woman and a two-year-old girl on July 9 and 10, bringing the number of women and girls killed in Senegal since the beginning of 2026 to seven!
Although fewer than 20 protesters took part, activists marched with placards carrying messages including “Silence is enough” and “Death does not belong to you”, calling for stronger measures to protect women and girls.
Feminist activist and protest spokesperson Aminata Libain Mbengue accused authorities of failing to act on earlier commitments to combat gender-based killings, questioning how many more victims were needed before the Government responded. The protesters criticized what they described as official silence over repeated attacks against women and called for femicide to be recognized as a specific offence under Senegal’s Penal Code.
They also urged greater cooperation between the Government, civil society groups and human rights organizations to develop stronger prevention strategies. The activists vowed to continue staging demonstrations after every reported femicide until concrete steps are taken to safeguard women and girls.