They hold the overwhelming majority of the votes when it comes to choosing representatives for consular chambers at all levels. However, women are absent from decision-making bodies within the country's 14 consular chambers, whether for elected or administrative staff.

Mohamed Sarr of the National Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Senegal provides some revealing statistics on this subject: in the 14 chambers of commerce, there are only three women general secretaries, in Saint-Louis, Tamba, and Thiès. "The program we are currently implementing with the support of Catalyste could allow us to correct these shortcomings, if not eradicate them. Yet, the electorate is made up mostly of women, but unfortunately, they are not represented in the electoral districts," he laments.

Beyond regional chambers of commerce, women can join chambers of commerce in the UEMOA, ECOWAS, Francophone and Islamic chambers of commerce, according to Mr. Sarr.

To this end, awareness-raising work and a program will be implemented to enable women to enter these structures and to represent the female gender with dignity.

For Adja Oumy Sagna, treasurer and elected member of the Ziguinchor Chamber of Commerce, women face many difficulties within the association and are always at the bottom of the hierarchy. "We are always last," she said, while acknowledging the work being done to empower women so they can play leading roles within the consular chambers.

"Women face enormous difficulties despite all the effort they make in the field of marketing products in markets," due to a lack of training.

Adja Oumy Sagna explains that in the Ziguinchor region, her peers face enormous difficulties in marketing the products they process, and that if they occupy positions of responsibility at the chambers of commerce, the situation could change.

Catalyst Plus Country Director El Hadj Diouf explains that this Canadian cooperation organization aims, through the Women Lead program, to stimulate and promote the integration of women into the decision-making bodies of chambers of commerce during the next elections.

"Women are present in large numbers in the chambers of commerce, but unfortunately they are not present in the decision-making bodies. The project aims to prepare the women of the Ziguinchor region, the women leaders, for the next elections of the consular chambers which will certainly take place in 2026-2027," he indicated.