The African Resource for Integrated Development (Réseau Africain pour le Dévelopement Integré, or RADI) educates women about the law and their legal rights about domestic violence. RADI puts on theatrical sketches and hosts informal, paralegal-led discussions. Through these the community learns about the protective legal resources available to them. By using theater, RADI aims to break the silence around domestic violence in Senegal.
Breaking Taboos Around Domestic Violence
Domestic violence, especially of a sexual nature, is a taboo subject in Senegal, and is rarely reported to authorities. Ninety-five percent of the Senegalese population are practicing Muslims and many believe that religious law permits some forms of domestic violence. RADI needed to find an effective way to raise awareness about recent legislation. Because illiteracy is rampant, and because theater has experienced a remarkable resurgence. RADI chose theatre as the means to enhance its ability to reach its audience. In this way, they raise awareness on domestic violence issues and make people conscious of available resources.
RADI brings in well-known actors who select women from the audience to join them in 10-minute improvised sketches portraying scenes of domestic abuse. The spontaneous actions of the women and the audience members reveal their familiarity with these situations. The sketches finish unresolved. This enables paralegals to discuss remedies and options for addressing domestic violence. The paralegal also makes sure to present the legal resources available and the penal and civil penalties for violence.
Community Engagement in Domestic Violence Issues
RADI draws on two important cultural resources in its tactic. First, theater is already an accepted and well-understood method of teaching in Senegal. Second, the programs target Mbottayes. Mbottayes are traditional informal gatherings of women that generally guarantee very good attendance. RADI reports that most participants in the theater and discussion sessions not only learned more about their own rights but also passed this information along to family members and friends.
For more information on this tactic, read our in-depth case study.
RADI's tactic is notable in that it identifies the needs of a sector of society that is isolated not by geography, but by cultural norms. When looking for community needs, it is important to be aware of aspects of society and culture that may create human rights issues, such as domestic abuse, that are invisible to an outside observer. Also important for this tactic are its use of existing cultural and social structures--theater and mbottayes--which make participants more comfortable. The entertaining aspect of theater adds to the tactic's appeal. Finally, this tactic shows an effective use of follow-up. The theatrical presentations may themselves be informative, but the subsequent sessions with paralegals make clear the women's rights and the recourse they have should those rights be violated.
New Tactics in Human Rights does not advocate for or endorse specific tactics, policies or issues.
