photographist

“From a very young age I wanted to denounce the unfairness endured by women and street children in Senegal. I began studying law and after winning a competition on human rights in Africa I received a grant to do a thesis in France. My research concerns the harmony of international law. How can the norms adopted by the UN, the European Union or the African Union be harmonised? The protection of human rights should be developed starting from the base upwards and encourage a participatory dimension, which would put those who are supposed to benefit from these rights on the front line. The discrimination endured by women excludes them very early on from the possibility of accessing positions of power, and yet they are essential players in economic development and in the resolution of political conflict. The more they access their rightful place as economic and political players in a society, the better that society is.

UN Women was created to protect women's rights on the international level. The texts adopted remain proclamations, however, because there are no penalties for the States which do not follow them. All workers on the ground need to get involved, women's groups need financial support and more tools to be able to effectively protect and publicise women's rights. Many men are opposed to the emancipation of women and to them having equal rights – beginning with their right to education. When a State ratifies an international convention on women's rights, it has to shoulder its responsibility and promulgate enforcement acts on the national level. Women must fight this battle on the ground and ask their representatives – members of parliament and governors – to ensure that ratified conventions are applied. We can't rely on men to fight this battle for us!”

Fatou Ba Sene
Education Research Attachée, University of Cergy Pontoise

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