A determined group of feminist activists took to the streets of Dakar this Sunday afternoon, staging a vocal protest to demand an end to femicide in Sénégal. Though numbering around twenty, their message resonated clearly through the city: “Silence, no more!” and “Death does not belong to you!”

Leading the charge, Aminata Libain Mbengue, a prominent voice among the activists, directly challenged the Senegalese government. “Even the President of the Republic, in his December 31st address, formally committed to implementing measures to curb femicides. Yet, we are still waiting,” Mbengue stated emphatically. “We want to know how many more women, how many more girls must die before the State of Sénégal truly assumes its responsibilities.”

government urged to take decisive action

The feminist spokesperson condemned the authorities’ silence on an issue that she believes is often trivialized and dismissed as mere news in the press. “We cannot have a two-year-old child raped and murdered by three men without a single statement from the Ministry of Family and Solidarity,” Aminata Libain Mbengue continued, expressing outrage. “This is an absolute scandal! It is imperative that strong actions are taken by the government every time a woman or girl is killed. We remind them that it is their duty to protect the women and girls of this country. Femicide must be legally recognized in the penal code. The lives of women cannot wait any longer.”

The demonstration concluded after several minutes, with the activists vowing to stage a new protest following every future murder of a woman, until the Senegalese state finally responds with concrete measures.