New York: The security situation across the Sahel is deteriorating rapidly, threatening peace and security in West Africa’s coastal States and beyond, delegates warned the Security Council today, condemning the deliberate targeting and exploitation of women and girls caught in the crossfire.
According to EMM, Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), highlighted that the Sahel is a convergence point for global concerns such as terrorism, coups, environmental collapse, poverty, and hunger. These crises have a particularly violent impact on women and girls. Over 1 million girls in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso are out of school due to terrorist threats. In Burkina Faso alone, abductions of women and girls increased by over 218 percent last year.
Bahous urged governments and regional bodies to include women in transitional governments and peace efforts. She advocated for at least 15 percent of violent extremism prevention funding to be allocated toward gender equality. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of deploying women protection advisers to monitor sexual violence trends.
Levinia Addae-Mensah, Executive Director of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, echoed these sentiments, noting that women are not just victims but agents of change. Her organization has documented the resilience and leadership of women in peacebuilding across the Sahel. Despite existing frameworks, sustainable transformation remains limited due to chronic underfunding and a lack of strategic imperative.
Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), presented the Secretary-General’s latest report. He noted a surge in terrorist activities in Mali, Benin, Togo, and Nigeria, and emphasized that young people are increasingly targeted for recruitment by extremist groups.
To counter these threats, the Alliance of Sahel States, comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, has formed a joint defense force. They have also established a Criminal Court in Bamako to address war crimes and terrorism. However, the humanitarian situation remains dire, with 12.8 million people facing acute food insecurity and only 14 percent of required funding received for the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.
In discussions, delegates expressed concern over the human rights violations faced by women and girls, including abductions and sexual slavery. They urged for women’s inclusion in electoral and peace processes and for regional cooperation to counter terrorism and violent extremism.
The Security Council also heard from representatives of Sierra Leone, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Greece, the United States, the Russian Federation, France, China, and Panama. They emphasized the need for a balanced approach that includes military coordination, economic empowerment, and governance support to address both security and developmental challenges in the region.
