Rokhaya DIAGNE

Thesis Proposal:

On May 28, 2010, Senegal adopted Law No. 2010-11 of May 28, 2010, establishing absolute gender parity in bodies that are wholly or partially elected. The new law, which represents a major step forward in the fight against the political underrepresentation of women, aims to rebalance the male-dominated political arena and promote the development of women-sensitive policies. However, despite the existence of the law—which mandates gender alternation on candidate slates—men continue to dominate political life. This dissertation seeks to examine the explanatory factors behind male control of Senegal’s political sphere, as well as the responses women offer to this situation. It also explores the importance women place on addressing the primary needs of Senegalese women. This latter consideration was one of the major arguments put forward by advocates of gender parity during the campaign for the law’s adoption. In doing so, we demonstrate that male dominance in political life dates back to the colonial period and was consolidated during the early years of Senegal’s independence. Furthermore, women, who have always supported men in politics, were granted citizenship late in the colonial era, allowing them to participate officially in political life. Nevertheless, whenever they have attempted to carve out a place for themselves in the public sphere, they have been constrained by men who limit their actions to electoral mobilization for their own benefit. Capitalizing on the international context and the commitment of Head of State Abdoulaye Wade to improving their political representation, women secured the Parity Law, which establishes gender equality in elected offices. Similarly, this thesis examines the content of the law and its sources, as well as the various forms of opposition and obstacles that hinder its effectiveness. It also explores the resistance mounted by men, which allows them to circumvent the parity requirement and dominate the decision-making bodies of representative institutions. Finally, through interviews conducted with elected women from the National Assembly, the HCCT, the Mbacké Departmental Council, and the Saint-Louis Municipal Council, the research examines the strategies and resources women have developed to establish their legitimacy in politics and attempt to escape male control. It also examines the identity and political trajectories of these elected women and demonstrates that the organization and functioning of institutions, as well as these women’s political dependence on political leaders—particularly at the local level—pose significant obstacles to the meaningful representation of women in Senegal’s representative institutions.