Structural Barriers to Women’s Educational Advancement in Senegal

• In Event: Saint Louis to Saint Louis: Tracing Senegalese Urban Ecologies Across Class, Gender, and Language

Description for Program

This qualitative study investigates the systemic barriers that Muslim women in Senegal face in their pursuit of higher education. The research involved semi-structured interviews with ten university students and administrators at the Université de Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Dakar, Senegal. The study challenges the prevailing academic literature that often cites early marriage and pregnancy as the primary obstacles to Senegalese Muslim women's educational advancement. Instead, the findings reveal that structural challenges such as financial hardship, housing insecurity, and teacher misconduct are significant barriers. These challenges are compounded by gender-based norms and expectations that can make it difficult for women to navigate the education system. Despite these obstacles, the women interviewed expressed a strong desire to pursue education and defied patriarchal gender norms, often with the support of their families. The study calls for a shift in research perspectives away from deficit-based and colonial views toward a more inclusive understanding of Senegalese women's educational experiences. It also underscores the need for supportive policies and interventions to remove structural barriers and create a more equitable educational environment.

Author

• Aisha Adedayo