dvances in women’s rights are widely celebrated on International Women’s Day, observed every 8 March. However, the experiences of migrant women are still not adequately reflected in public policies and protection programs.
Migration cannot be addressed without taking into consideration the specific needs of women. “Protecting a migrant woman is protecting humanity on the move.” This statement, which is now widely adopted by humanitarian organisations, women’s rights groups and institutions involved in the advocacy of human rights, sums up an obvious reality.
In West Africa, where population displacement is a historical and economic reality, protecting migrant women is tantamount to protecting millions of life stories, families and communities.
According to United Nations data (UN DESA, 2024), women account for nearly 44 per cent of migrants in West Africa. They leave their countries for various reasons: looking for work, pursuing their studies, joining family members, fleeing insecurity or coping with the harmful effects of climate change. Every departure is often driven by a desire to improve the living conditions of their loved ones.
From Benin to Togo, from Ghana to Nigeria, via Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali and Niger, thousands of women take regional or international migration routes every year. The majority of them play an increasingly active role in cross-border trade, services, agriculture or informal activities that support local economies.
Yet their efforts often go unrecognized, even though they face greater risks than men.
Migration journeys and specific vulnerabilities
Women’s migration journeys are often fraught with particular hardships. Gender-based violence is one of the main threats confronting migrant women.
Sexual violence, harassment, economic exploitation, human trafficking and forced marriages are amongst the risks identified along migration routes.
In Sahelian countries such as Mali and Niger, where security crises further compound the vulnerability populations, migrant women sometimes find themselves trapped in criminal networks or compelled to take particularly dangerous routes.
Those who pursue their journey towards the Maghreb, the Middle East or Europe often find themselves facing new forms of vulnerability. Some become dependent on their employer or partner for their administrative status, which can restrict their ability to report abuse or walk away from situations of violence.
Even within the ECOWAS Free Movement Area, where travel is eased, women still face challenges in accessing information, health services, justice or social protection mechanisms.
Alongside these obstacles are issues such as their isolation, language barriers, discrimination and, at times, a lack of insight into their own rights.
A collective responsibility for West African States
To address these challenges, West African countries already have several legal and policy instruments at their disposal to strengthen the protection of migrant women, notably the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa and the African Union Convention on the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention). However, these instruments are still in need of full implementation and greater public awareness.
Benin, for example, is stepping up awareness-raising efforts on gender-based violence and improving women’s access to protection mechanisms. National and international organisations there support migrant women so that they are aware of their rights, the services available and the remedies available to them.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are also developing programmes aimed at preventing human trafficking, whilst Senegal is continuing its reintegration efforts for returning migrant women. In Nigeria, several measures are in place to counter trafficking networks that particularly exploit girls and young women.
In insecurity-prone countries such as Mali and Niger, humanitarian interventions are focusing increasingly on the protection of displaced and migrant women.
However, these efforts would be more effective if they were better coordinated at regional level to ensure sustained protection throughout the migration journey.
Informing, protecting and empowering
The protection of migrant women goes beyond emergency responses. It relies, above all, on information and prevention.
Informing women about the applicable regulatory framework, administrative procedures, the risks associated with irregular migration and existing protection mechanisms is a key first step.
It is also essential to enhance their ability to identify, prevent and report gender-based violence. Access to legal assistance, healthcare services, psychosocial support and accessible complaints mechanisms remains a priority.
Community organisations, women’s associations, local authorities and international partners play a decisive role in this process. Their close ties with communities facilitate the effective dissemination of information and help to restore victims’ trust.
At the same time, the economic empowerment of women will continue to be a key means of protection. Vocational training, improved access to finance and support for entrepreneurship can help reduce their vulnerability to exploitation networks.
Ensuring voluntary, safe and dignified migration
Protecting migrant women means recognising their contribution to the economic and social development of both their countries of origin and their host countries. It also means acknowledging that their rights do not stop at borders.
Ensuring their safety, access to justice and dignity throughout their migration journey is an imperative for States, international organisations and all civil society players.
For behind every migrant woman stands a family, children, a community and, often, a life plan full of hope.
In West Africa, where mobility is central to regional integration, strengthening mechanisms to protect migrant women will help ensure that migration is an informed choice rather than a series of risks. Ultimately, protecting a migrant woman means protecting far more than just one person: it means preserving humanity on the move, in all its dignity, resilience and future.
