The global organization Women in International Security (WIIS), for the promotion of gender equality and female leadership in the fields of peace and security, has officially established its Senegalese branch, the first in Francophone Africa, headed by journalist Ndèye Magatte Kébé.

Founded in 1987 in Washington DC (USA), WIIS is present in some fifty countries through its chapters and affiliates. The Senegalese branch was launched during a virtual panel on the theme: "Twenty-five years later: where does the 'Women, Peace and Security' agenda stand in Senegal and West Africa?"

Several experts, diplomats, academics and representatives of regional organizations from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Morocco, Chad and the United States took part in the meeting.

They unanimously called for strengthening the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, the first text linking the issue of women to the maintenance of peace and security, adopted on October 31, 2000. A resolution which recognizes the specific impact of armed conflicts on women and underlines the need to strengthen their participation in peacebuilding.

"The Senegalese branch aims to become a catalyst for change by supporting the active participation of women and young people in conflict prevention and resolution, in accordance with resolution 1325," says Ndèye Magatte Kéké, who also notes that "WIIS Senegal fully shares the network's overall mission, which aims to promote gender equality and strengthen women's leadership in the fields of peace, security and international relations."

Having accumulated some fifteen years of experience in journalism and strategic communication, Ndèye Magatte Kébé now directs the programs and projects of the Pan-African Union of Journalists for South-South Cooperation (UPJ-SUD), a structure based in Rabat and responsible for defending press freedom, promoting South-South cooperation and popularizing credible, responsible information in the service of development.

A prominent member of several international associations, including the International Union of Francophone Press, founder of the news sites "Les Africaines" (2018) dedicated to the promotion of African women, and "Hydro Diplomacy" (2022) specializing in water governance, the journalist is responsible for communication for the Grain project, implemented by the Agricultural and Rural Foresight Initiative, a space for reflection and promotion of agricultural and rural policies in West Africa.