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Senegal: Where women’s bodies belong to everyone but themselves

December 27, 2025

In Senegal, despite ratifying the Maputo Protocol in 2004 which permits medical abortion in cases of rape, incest, and health emergencies, the country has failed to incorporate these provisions into national law. Women who become pregnant from sexual violence are forced to carry pregnancies to term or resort to dangerous illegal abortions, with nearly half of female prisoners incarcerated for infanticide. The government's inaction contradicts Senegal's secular constitution, as religious and traditional arguments continue to dominate debates that should focus on medical and legal considerations.

Who is affected

  • Women and girls who are victims of rape or incest in Senegal
  • Women seeking abortions who face criminal prosecution under Article 305 of the Criminal Code
  • Female prisoners in Liberté VI prison (46 percent convicted of infanticide)
  • Human rights organizations including FIDH, LSDH, and RADDHO
  • The NGO JGEN (committed to combating gender-based violence)

What action is being taken

  • Human rights organizations (FIDH, LSDH, and RADDHO) are denouncing the State's non-compliance with international commitments
  • JGEN is stepping up its calls for the law to stop criminalizing victims of rape and incest
  • These organizations published the "Dual Hardship" report in 2024 warning about non-compliance with the Maputo Protocol

Why it matters

  • This issue matters because it demonstrates how women who are already traumatized by sexual violence face double victimization—first through rape or incest, then through forced pregnancy or criminal prosecution if they seek abortions. The situation reveals a fundamental conflict between international human rights commitments and domestic law, while also highlighting how patriarchal structures and religious arguments override secular legal principles and women's bodily autonomy. The high percentage of women imprisoned for infanticide indicates the deadly consequences of restrictive abortion laws that drive women to desperate measures.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices

Senegal: Where women’s bodies belong to everyone but themselves