New York: In Africa's Sahel region, escalating violence and poverty are increasingly jeopardizing the safety and future of women and girls, stripping them of fundamental rights to education and security. This dire situation is compounded by factors such as displacement, hunger, and terrorism, which are deeply entrenched in the region.

According to EMM, the risks confronting women and girls in the Sahel are both severe and systemic. Political instability, environmental degradation, and a diminishing international presence are further exacerbating these challenges. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, addressed the Security Council, highlighting the severe restrictions on movement, visibility, and even clothing that women in the region face. The closure and destruction of schools have left over a million girls without access to education.

Abduction is a deliberate tactic of terrorism in the Sahel, with Burkina Faso witnessing a sharp increase in the abduction of women and girls. In Mali, female genital mutilation affects 90 percent of women, and child marriage rates are among the highest globally. These issues contribute to some of the world's worst maternal mortality rates, driven by early pregnancies and pervasive poverty.

The resilience of women and girls is dwindling as they face longer journeys for basic necessities like water and firewood, often at the cost of their safety. Climate change exacerbates these hardships, causing increased mortality and food insecurity due to extreme weather conditions. Despite these growing needs, international support is diminishing, with only a fraction of the humanitarian appeal for the region being met.

Democratic and civic space is also shrinking, with limited female participation in institutional reforms in countries like Niger and Mali. Leonardo Santos Simão of UNOWAS warned that the deteriorating security environment, marked by jihadist attacks and political unrest, is undermining progress and displacing populations. The shrinking space for media and civil society further threatens governance and peacebuilding efforts.

Despite these challenges, progress is visible in certain areas. In Chad, women hold 34 percent of parliamentary seats, and women's participation in local peacebuilding efforts in Mali and Niger has significantly increased. Joint UN initiatives have improved adolescent girls' access to education and doubled women's participation in local governance in conflict-affected communities.

However, these gains are precarious. Ms. Bahous emphasized the importance of continued support for the Sahel, urging global solidarity with the region's women not out of charity, but in recognition of their capacity to influence a brighter future.