Women who process fish and shellfish in Senegal’s Saloum Islands face deep poverty and limited influence in local decisions. A team of local PEP researchers evaluated the “Gouvernance Féminine et Innovation” (GEFI—Women's Governance and Innovation) project that aims to empower these women while sustainably improving the economic, social and environmental development of the island communities. They found clear improvements in income and living conditions for many participants. But also showed that women with fewer resources benefited much less from the initiative. They highlighted that strengthening and financing women’s groups (central to local governance) is essential to sustain the project’s gains. Additionally, inclusive economic empowerment requires targeted support for the most vulnerable women and longer project timelines to ensure lasting change.
Find out more about the research methods, findings and policy recommendations in the following PEP publications:
Policy Brief 307 (in French) | More about the Learning and Knowledge Management Project
