“Women Writing” in Senegal

Acclaimed Senegalese women writers like Mariama Bâ, Ken Bugul, and  Fatou Diome have contributed to liberating literary production by encouraging further innovations into stories that subvert oppressive gendered expectations and norms. In the contemporary moment, however, while gender parity dominates Senegal’s political discourse, women writers are less visible than their male counterparts. Women are often expected to be readers, spectators, Radio, or TV hosts. In this context, Écrire au feminin (Women Writing) promotes Senegalese women writers by creating an intergenerational network.

Its main goals are to train, mentor, and support young women writers for better leadership, visibility, and recognition. Écrire au feminin is a collaborative project with Amina Seck, author, screenwriter, and director of Cultur’Elles, an organization that promotes women’s rights through the arts.