New York: In Africa’s Sahel region, escalating violence, poverty, and instability are severely impacting the lives of women and girls, stripping them of safety, education, and opportunities for a viable future. The region is plagued by risks such as abductions, child marriage, and exclusion from educational and public life, which are compounded by political instability, environmental challenges, and a declining international presence.

According to EMM, Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, informed the Security Council that women’s movement, visibility, and even clothing are heavily restricted in this region. Schools have been closed or destroyed, leaving over a million girls without access to education. In Burkina Faso, the number of women and girls abducted has more than doubled in the last 18 months. In Mali, a staggering 90 percent of women are affected by female genital mutilation, and the region faces high rates of child marriage and maternal mortality.

The distances women and girls must travel for basic necessities like water and firewood are increasing, and their safety is increasingly compromised. Climate change exacerbates these challenges, contributing to food insecurity and increased mortality. Despite these mounting needs, international support is dwindling. By May, only eight percent of the year’s humanitarian appeal for the region had been met, and development assistance has decreased by nearly 20 percent over the past two years.

Political and civic spaces are also narrowing. In Niger, only 14 percent of participants in recent institutional reforms were women. In Mali, only two out of 36 members drafting the new national charter were women. Leonardo Santos Simão from the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel highlighted how the worsening security environment and shrinking space for media and civil society are threatening progress and governance in the region.

Despite these challenges, there have been some positive developments. In Chad, women now occupy 34 percent of parliamentary seats. Women’s participation in local peacebuilding in Mali and Niger has increased, helping to resolve disputes related to natural resources. Joint UN programs have improved adolescent girls’ return to school and increased women’s participation in local governance across conflict-affected communities. Additionally, a UN-World Bank initiative has provided healthcare and training to over three million adolescent girls.

Sima Bahous emphasized the need for continued support for the women of the Sahel, not out of charity, but in recognition of their potential to shape a better future.