By Esther Kuhn
July 2, 2024

In Senegal, domestic violence is often regarded as normal and discussions about how bodies and relationships change during adolescence are considered taboo, so cases of abuse go unreported and women and girls stay trapped in abusive relationships. To help change the story of gender injustice, World Renew has implemented an Adolescent Health and Rights program in Senegal’s capital, Dakar.

Through the program young people, both male and female, participate in a 32-lesson course and learn about positive relationships with friends, relatives, community members and romantic partners. The one-year curriculum gives youth a safe space to discuss proper hygiene, protecting their health, and abstinence before marriage, and helps them to recognize and learn how to end cycles of abuse. An important feature of the program is that every one of the 32 lessons is completed when the participants have a discussion with their parents about what they learned.

Prior to participating, Fatou hadn’t been focused on her studies, but her mother, Ndèye, says that during her year in the program, Fatou’s behaviour changed. “My daughter shared what she learned about the menstrual cycle, early sex, and marriage. I noticed that she became mature, calmer, and more devoted to her studies. She reduced her dating and prioritized her studies.” Ndèye shares that seeing these changes makes her extremely optimistic about the future of the children who take part in the program and that she and other mothers thank the program leaders for engaging the teens and “pointing them in the right direction.”

Another mother, Aminata, says that she also saw positive changes in her daughters, Fama and Aida. “Fama told me that the instructor in the program encourages the girls to focus on their studies. I understand that this is the reason for this great change,” Aminata explains. “I thank the initiators of the Adolescent Health and Rights Program and pray for them and encourage them to continue the program.”