Paper short abstract:

By focusing on women's (in)mobilities observed in Lower Casamance (Senegal), this paper underlines the importance of addressing displacement from a gender perspective, linking it to the role of providers of many women in their households.

Paper long abstract:

This paper presents part of the results of a research carried out between 2018 and 2020 on the klando system of unlicensed collective taxis operating in Lower Casamance (Senegal). Starting from the observation that the majority of users of this and other unlicensed transport alternatives are women, the aim is to address the singularity of women's (in)mobilities in this region. Firstly, a historicisation of the permanence and role of many women during the years of armed conflict in the area will be presented. This fact shapes unique forms of inter-regional female mobility, associated with the central role of many women as stable providers for many households. Secondly, we will describe some of the main forms of displacement that women engage in. These include the informal trade ('bana-bana') in fruit, vegetables, oil, alcohol and household goods, among others, which many women carry out between rural enclaves and Ziguinchor but also between their area of residence and Guinea Bissau. The aim is not only to point out the importance of addressing inter-regional and cross-border movements from a gender perspective, but also to do so taking into account the way in which they constitute a fundamental source of resources that guarantee the reproduction of a large part of the domestic units.