Whether they are employees, traders or managers, many women now participate in the daily running of the household, sometimes without recognition for their efforts. Support assumed for some, constraints suffered for others, this female involvement nevertheless highlights a domestic economy largely supported by women.

In markets, offices or bus stations, there are thousands of women who keep the domestic economy running. Mothers or wives, they contribute more and more to the running of the home, often in silence, but always with a keen sense of duty. A phenomenon recognized by Amina Fall Niang, president of the Association of Senegalese Jurists (Ajs).

According to her, women’s financial participation has significantly increased as a result of a structural transformation of the family economic model: “The most common causes are galloping urbanization, the deterioration of household purchasing power, the emigration of men and the impoverishment of the population, hence the insufficiency of men’s income to cover unavoidable domestic expenses (housing, health, education, food)”, analyzes the lawyer. However, she regrets that this increased responsibility was not accompanied by equivalent legal recognition.

Assumed support

Legal recognition or not, Senegalese women contribute, year after year, to family expenses. This is the case of Aminata Sy (not her real name), an engineer in the construction industry, who explains that she contributes willingly: “I cover the salary of the two cleaning ladies (one earns 40,000 FCfa and the other 60,000 FCfa). Sometimes, when there is a shortage of food, I supplement it. I also sometimes buy clothes for my daughters or manage their hair care,” explains this resident of Liberté 4, in the Senegalese capital.

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For her, this contribution is a personal choice: “I earn my living and I feel I have to support my husband. Times are tough and one person can no longer take on everything.” She emphasizes that in her home, nothing is imposed: “My husband doesn’t force me to do anything. I do it with joy of heart, because we form a close-knit family. He is a caring and grateful man. If he was a Samba Alar (party animal), I wouldn’t put in a franc, but I know that everything he earns is for us.”

Contribution, a constraint

It’s 5:30 p.m. in December. On Avenue Bourguiba in Dakar, an unusual freshness envelops the air. Mariama Gueye, an accounting assistant, gets off a bus, in a hurry to go home. For her, the reality is more bitter. “I can assure you that women contribute, today, in the same way as men, or even more. They are the kingpin of households,” says this mother of two boys.

She deplores a tendency towards male disengagement: “I have the impression that when the woman starts to work, the man leaves all the responsibilities to her: bills, schooling, subsidiary expenses… Moreover, when children ask their father for a simple pen, he often sends them back to their mother.”

Mariama experiences this as a constraint: “I am forced to sacrifice my personal projects to provide for the family’s needs.” She also points out a lack of gratitude: “Men are not always grateful. Some, despite all your efforts, reward you by taking a co-wife,” she confides with a smile tinged with irony.

The daily life of workers in the informal sector

On the sidewalks, the peanut and fruit sellers also illustrate this reality. Fatoumata Diallo, in her thirties, walks the streets of Dakar to keep up with everyday life. For her, the female contribution has become obvious: “Husbands are brave, but they cannot do everything.” In her case, the distribution is clear: her husband manages the rent and basic food, while she takes care of the children’s snacks, supplies and clothing. “These small expenses are sometimes the heaviest to bear,” she emphasizes.

A boon for men

For many men, this support is a lifeline. Adama Faye (not his real name), journalist and father of three children, makes no secret of it: “My wife earns a good living and willingly contributes. It makes my life a lot easier.” Thanks to this solidarity, he was able to complete the construction of his house, a project that would have been impossible if he had had to carry the financial burden of the household alone.

Same observation for Mansour Gaye, teacher in Thiès: “My wife is also a teacher. She knows my income and has agreed to contribute to the rent and other expenses.” While recognizing that this attitude is not an obligation for his wife, Mansour considers it, moreover, as a godsend and seeks, according to him, to return this favor to his wife, at every opportunity, in their life as a couple. “It’s clear that I love her more every day, but above all I respect her for that, because without her, my household would have difficulty running,” he testified, cheerfully.

Souleymane WANE