Funding Rural Women’s Organizations in Senegal

2014 - PDF - This New Field Foundation presentation identifies key changes experienced by rural women and their organizations in Senegal due to the grant funding they received. It focuses on changes in women’s leadership and food security.

Key Questions

  • What changes have taken place for rural women’s groups and their members as a result of the community grants?

  • What were the unintended consequences on rural women, their families, organizations and communities?

  • To what extent do women’s groups have control over their activities and the resources at their disposal?

Key Challenges

  • Post conflict environment

  • Limited written information and data

  • Large number of community grantees

  • Low status of rural women

  • Lack of direct funding to rural women’s organizations

Methods used to conduct the study included 843 people interviewed in 63 focus groups of in-depth study on 8 rural women’s groups with at least 2 community grants. Exchanged learning was also a method where 24 rural women animators were trained to conduct surveys and 15 rural women trained as reporters to create 30 media reports. 

Findings indicated key changes within women’s leadership:

  • 65 of the 379 women interviewed were elected as district counselors

  • 45 became members of advisory committees for the implementation of regional development projects

  • 26 became members of parent-teacher associations and mutual credit societies

Full report available for download - Funding Rural Women’s Organizations in Senegal

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