During a recent visit to Diourbel, a central region of Senegal, Minister Moussa Balla Fofana brought renewed attention to a persistent policy challenge spanning decades: the issue of child begging, particularly involving talibés. The government official underscored this reality as one of the most sensitive subjects within Senegalese society, signaling the executive’s commitment to re-engage with a matter deeply intertwined with social welfare, religious practices, and state authority.
Diourbel: a symbolic focal point for the talibé debate
The selection of Diourbel for this discussion is highly significant. This region, situated near Touba and at the heart of the Mouride basin, hosts a substantial number of daaras – traditional Quranic schools that educate thousands of children from across the nation and the broader sub-region. It is precisely within this interwoven religious and educational landscape that the phenomenon of children being sent into the streets to solicit daily alms, often under the guise of religious instruction, is most prevalent.
By acknowledging the inherent sensitivity of the subject, Moussa Balla Fofana highlighted a delicate balance. Any public discourse concerning talibés must navigate respect for religious brotherhoods, the social standing of Quranic teachers, and the state’s imperative to safeguard minors vulnerable to life on the streets, accidents, and various forms of exploitation. Previous Senegalese administrations have repeatedly announced measures to remove children from public thoroughfares, yet these efforts have historically failed to bring about lasting change in the practice.
A challenge at the intersection of social welfare and state governance
The Minister emphasized the systemic nature of the problem. Beneath the surface of child begging lie deeper issues such as rural poverty, internal migration patterns, the governance of Quranic institutions, and comprehensive child protection. The modernization of daaras, a pledge made by successive governments since the early 2000s, remains an unfulfilled endeavor. While legal frameworks exist, including the child protection code and criminal 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 crucial political test. The administration led by Bassirou Diomaye Faye has prioritized social recovery, vowing 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 living conditions in certain urban daaras, where overcrowding, violence, and inadequate healthcare have been extensively documented in numerous NGO reports over recent years.
Anticipated public response and immediate actions
The Minister’s address, delivered to local stakeholders, suggests that crucial decisions are currently being formulated. Three traditional pillars typically underpin government strategies: the modernization and regulation of daaras, enhanced state oversight 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 constructively with religious authorities, particularly those in Touba, Tivaouane, and Médina Baye, without undermining collaborative efforts.
The question of resources remains paramount. Providing safe havens for street children, ensuring their schooling, and potentially covering food costs in reformed daaras necessitate a sustainable budget and a robust inter-ministerial framework involving Education, Family, Interior, and Justice. Without centralized coordination, isolated operations to remove children from the streets, previously 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 this commitment into a concrete operational roadmap, eagerly awaited by both child protection organizations and families alike.
