Meet Anta Babacar Ngom, The Only Woman Contesting In The Senegalese Presidential Election

Anta Babacar Ngom is running as the only female presidential candidate in the Senegalese presidential election set to take place on March 24, 2024, and she remains fierce in her push for the number one position in the West African country.

Though she stands little or no chance of winning the election, the 40-year-old business executive has been a voice for women and youth in the country, which has suffered economic woes in recent times.

“Our country has enormous potential. The natural resources are there, and they can be developed,’’ the ever-confident Ngom told AP.

“The young girls I meet ask for my support. They do so because they know that when a woman comes to power, she will put an end to their suffering. I’m not going to forget them.”

Part of Ngom’s campaign promises is to build a bank for women in order to facilitate their economic independence, a move that has been hailed by activists who have lamented the slow pace of promoting gender equality campaigns in the country.

Related: Social Media Banned In Senegal As Protests Continue Over Election Postponement

Activist and sociologist Selly Ba hailed Ngom’s presidential ambition, insisting that “we have to be there, even if we don’t stand a chance. We don’t stand a chance in these elections. But it’s important that we have women candidates, women who are in the race.”

Anta Babacar Ngom is the first woman to run for president in Senegal in over ten years, a reflection of the frustrations activists face in promoting feminist campaigns in the country described as the bastion of West African democracy.