By Koffigan E. Adigbli DAKAR, Oct 10 (IPS) - The Sicap Baobap neighborhood, one of the prettiest in the Senegalese capital, stands out, but not for the most obvious reasons. Not for its well-paved roads, or the number of naturalised immigrants from Cabo Verde, Togo or Benin, not for the hustle and bustle of the formal and informal economies. What sets this Dakar neighbourhood apart is the fact that the mayor is a woman, Senator Aminata Thiam, the only female mayor in this West African country. There is also only one female prefect, Laure Elisabeth Bampassy, in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar. Some hoped that Senegal's 1996 Decentralisation Law would usher in more female leadership at the local level. They have been disappointed. "The law should have helped women reach more positions of authority, especially in local...
[read full story]
Your Web Site
