Badienou Gokh: Community Sentinels at the Heart of the Fight Against Violence Against Women and Girls in Senegal

“Even before I became a Badienou Gokh, people used to come to me to share their problems,” recalls Adja Tacko Sall, now Secretary General of the Badienou Gokh network in Tambacounda. In her community, her home is often one of the first places where women and girls seek support, guidance, and protection.

In Tambacounda, some women know exactly which door to knock on when the burden of silence becomes too heavy to bear. More often than not, the person behind that door is Adja Tacko Sall.

Today, as Secretary General of the Badienou Gokh of Tambacounda, Adja has become a reassuring presence, a trusted listener, and a first point of support for many women and girls.

In a region where the prevalence of gender-based violence stands at 27.5%, according to the latest study by Senegal’s National Agency for Statistics and Demography, her role goes far beyond awareness-raising. It often begins where formal systems have not yet been deployed: in homes, neighborhoods, amidst whispered conversations and the hesitation that comes before seeking help.

The Badienou Gokh—literally “community godmothers” or “neighborhood mentors”—occupy a unique place in Senegalese communities. Known for their proximity, empathy, an, these trusted godmothers support women and girls especially when speaking out, although essential, can be difficult, sometimes risky.

For Adja, this commitment has become a daily responsibility. She raises awareness, provides guidance, refers survivors to health, justice, and social protection services, and mobilizes local actors whenever cases of violence are reported. Through the support of Global Affairs Canada and the KAARANGUE Project—which means “protect” in Wolof and is implemented by UN Women Senegal—this community-based work has been strengthened through training and tools that enable more structured support for survivors.

But protecting others also requires resources.

“Sometimes, cases are referred to us, and we do not even have enough money to cover transportation costs to reach them,” Adja explains.

Yet this reality has not dampened her commitment. When a young girl who had experienced domestic abuse within her family and had found herself without an immediate care solution, Adja welcomed her into her own home for three months. Three months to heal, rebuild her confidence, and envision a different future. Today, that young woman has secured both a job and housing.

Adja’s respond went beyond simple solidarity. It demonstrates how community-based support can change the course of a person’s life.

Such support can take many forms. A survivor referred in time to healthcare services, a teenage girl helped to pursue her education after experiencing violence, a mother informed of her rights and connected to social services or a family encouraged to prioritize protection over silence. Every intervention, no matter how discreet, can become the starting point of recovery and transformation.

For many survivors, shame, fear of judgment, and family pressure remain powerful barriers. When the perpetrator is a family member, seeking help becomes even more difficult. In those instances, the Badienou Gokh are often the first to listen without judgment, guide without exposing survivors, and build bridges between women, families, and available services.

“The Badienou Gokh model is particularly relevant because it reaches women and girls where formal systems often face limitations: at the heart of homes and communities. Their social roots and the trust they enjoy make them key actors in both the prevention of and response to gender-based violence,” emphasizes Hawa Sow Bousso, Regional Director of Family Affairs.

Through the KAARANGUE Project, these efforts are gaining new momentum. During the first year of implementation, more than 5,278 people (the majority of them women) were reached through community discussions, social dialogues, and grassroots outreach activities. This achievement comes in a context where the need for prevention, information, and referral services remains significant, particularly for women and girls who still hesitate to report violence due to fear of retaliation, feelings of shame, or pressure from those around them.

In Tambacounda, Adja Tacko Sall’s experience is a powerful reminder that protection often begins with a simple gesture: listening, believing, and providing support. And sometimes, it begins with an open door.

But for that door to remain open, the work of the Badienou Gokh must be fully recognized, supported, and strengthened. It is urgent to provide them with the means they need to act: resources for transportation, continuous training, stronger referral mechanisms, and greater recognition of their role within local protection systems.

Together with communities, authorities, and development partners, investing in the Badienou Gokh means choosing a response to violence against women and girls that is closer, more humane, and more effective. It means ensuring that no survivor is left alone, no voice is silenced by fear, and every woman and girl can find nearby a helping hand, a trusted listener, and a path to protection.