During a recent visit to Diourbel, situated in central Sénégal, Minister Moussa Balla Fofana brought to the forefront a persistent societal challenge that has troubled public policy for decades: the issue of child begging among talibés. The government official characterized this reality as one of the most sensitive subjects within Senegalese society, signaling the executive’s renewed commitment to addressing a matter intertwined with social welfare, religious tradition, and governmental authority.
Diourbel: a pivotal point in the talibé discussion
The selection of Diourbel as the location for this discussion is far from arbitrary. This region, bordering Touba and serving as the heart of the Mouride spiritual basin, hosts a significant concentration of daaras—traditional Quranic schools that enroll thousands of children from across the nation and the broader West African sub-region. It is within this intricate religious and educational landscape that the phenomenon of children being sent to beg daily alms, often under the guise of religious instruction, is deeply rooted.
By acknowledging the profound sensitivity of the subject, Moussa Balla Fofana underscored a delicate balance. Any public discourse concerning talibés inevitably navigates the respect due to religious brotherhoods, the social standing of Quranic masters, and the state’s imperative to safeguard minors exposed to street life, accidents, and various forms of exploitation. Previous Senegalese administrations have repeatedly announced measures to remove children from public streets, yet these efforts have historically failed to bring about lasting change in the practice.
A complex challenge at the intersection of social welfare and state governance
The Minister emphasized the structural nature of this problem. Underlying child begging are deeper issues such as rural poverty, internal migration, the governance of Quranic institutions, and the broader framework of child protection. The modernization of daaras, a promise made by successive governments since the early 2000s, remains an unfulfilled project. While legal frameworks exist, including the child protection code and penal provisions against exploiting others for begging, their enforcement largely depends on local power dynamics.
For the new authorities, who came to power following the 2024 political transition, this issue represents a critical test. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s administration has prioritized social upliftment, pledging to reinvest in youth development, education, and family dignity. Directly confronting talibé begging means addressing a societal equilibrium that few governments have dared to disrupt. Child rights advocates consistently raise alarms about the living conditions in some urban daaras, where overcrowding, violence, and a lack of healthcare have been extensively documented in numerous NGO reports over recent years.
Anticipated public responses and immediate actions
The Minister’s address, delivered to local stakeholders, suggests that policy decisions are actively being prepared. Three traditional levers consistently appear in government plans: the modernization and regulation of daaras, enhanced state control over the movement of children separated from their families, and socio-economic support for the most vulnerable households, which often serve as the primary source for enrolling talibés. The success of any public policy in this area will hinge on the government’s ability to engage in constructive dialogue with religious authorities, particularly those from influential centers like Touba, Tivaouane, and Médina Baye, without disrupting vital lines of communication.
The question of resources remains paramount. Providing safe havens for street children, ensuring their schooling, and potentially offering nutritional support within reformed daaras necessitates a sustainable budget and a robust inter-ministerial framework, involving departments such as Education, Family, Interior, and Justice. Without centralized coordination, past ad hoc operations to remove children from the streets, like those attempted in Dakar, have consistently seen children return within weeks.
Minister Moussa Balla Fofana’s visit to Diourbel signifies, at the very least, a clear intention to ground this critical debate within the affected communities rather than confining it to ministerial offices in the capital. The challenge now is to translate these statements into an operational roadmap, eagerly awaited by both child protection organizations and families across Sénégal.