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Senegal: How women bear the burden of migration

05:25

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Natalia Bieniek | Susann von Lojewski
July 14, 2026

The migration route from Senegal to Spain is very dangerous. Nonetheless many men risk it – often dying at sea. Left behind, their wives face poverty and insecurity. They have to chart new lives for themselves.

In Senegal, overfishing by overseas industrial trawlers is destroying the livelihoods of local fishers.  In Mbour, one of the country's key ports, fish stocks have become so low that abandoned fishing boats line the beaches. With unemployment sky-high, many men decide to risk the dangerous crossing to Spain, hoping for a better life in Europe. Many lose their lives. 
Left behind, their wives and families find themselves having to adapt to a new, harsh reality shaped by poverty and insecurity. But new opportunities are emerging. The women are working, starting new businesses, and learning about their rights. The loss of their husbands is palapable—but they refuse to give up, and are shaping their futures with growing confidence.

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