Senegal's PUMA Initiative Enrolls 1000 People in Kataba 1 for Civil Registration

The Programme d'urgence de modernisation des axes frontaliers (PUMA) has started a civil registration drive in Kataba 1, a commune in the Bignona department of southern Senegal. The initiative aims to register 1000 people in the area, which has been heavily affected by the Casamance conflict. PUMA's chief of territorial administration and deconcentration, Maty Mbaye, announced the start of the registration process, which will take place over two days.

The PUMA initiative, in partnership with the Agence nationale de l'état-civil (ANEC), chose Kataba 1 for the registration drive due to the high demand for civil registration documents in the commune. Mbaye stated that the program will continue to visit other communes with similar needs to regularize the status of people without birth certificates. The goal is to help these individuals access essential services, including education and healthcare.

The registration drive is a significant step towards addressing the issue of lack of civil registration documents in Kataba 1. According to Alassane Diatta, the mayor of Kataba 1, a 2023 study found that 10,000 people in the commune did not have civil registration documents. The mayor's team has already organized four registration drives, which have helped 7500 people obtain the necessary documents.

The conflict in Casamance has had a profound impact on the region, with many people forced to flee their homes and settle along the border with Gambia. These communities have been disproportionately affected by the lack of civil registration documents, which has hindered their access to education and healthcare. Diatta noted that many students had dropped out of school due to the lack of documents.

The Senegalese government's efforts to address the issue of civil registration are ongoing. In recent years, the Ministry of Education has allowed students without civil registration documents to take exams, pending the acquisition of the necessary documents. The PUMA initiative's registration drive is a crucial step towards ensuring that these individuals can access essential services and assert their citizenship.

Mbaye emphasized that the PUMA initiative is committed to supporting the populations of return and helping them obtain the necessary documents to access social services. The program aims to help these individuals regain their place as Senegalese citizens and access the opportunities and services they deserve.

The registration drive in Kataba 1 is a significant milestone in the PUMA initiative's efforts to address the issue of civil registration in Senegal. The program's work will continue in other communes with similar needs, with the goal of regularizing the status of as many people as possible.

Key points

• PUMA initiative enrolls 1000 people in Kataba 1 for civil registration.