In Guinea, broad social and cultural constraints have always relegated women to second place in the community. As a result, they have regularly been denied recognition at all levels, including in the political realm.

Madam Yacine Diallo is married and mother of three children.  She is a participant in the USAID-funded Support Guinea Local and National Elections project implemented by the National Democratic Institute (NDI). This program which runs until 2020, works across Guinea to support peaceful elections through a Code of Conduct for political parties and assist young people and women in acquiring political skills to run for office.

At training sessions in January 2018, Yacine and other women learned advocacy and leadership skills, and were taught how to cultivate and apply them. They were educated on the importance of women realizing their political rights and the tremendous benefits female participation and involvement in community decision making would bring.

“Here, tradition forbids a woman to speak in men’s meetings, let alone stand for a political position. Today, this perception is changing. I will continue to encourage my fellow women to stand for their rights" says Yacine Diallo, second Deputy Mayor of the Commune of Labé in Guinea.

Yacine practiced and applied what she learned in the training sessions during social gatherings with large crowds of women. She was later presented by the largest political party inof Guinea at the local elections in February 2018,  and was subsequently elected. She is currently the second deputy mayor of the commune of Labé, in Lower Guinea. 

Today, Yacine and other women have learned to stand for themselves and speak on issues affecting the rights of women. “Here, tradition forbids a woman to speak in men’s meetings, let alone stand for a political position. Today, this perception is changing. I will continue to encourage my fellow women to stand for their rights."

Although there are often disputes regarding their rights during council meetings, Yacine and other female councilors of Labé participate in all major decisions of the commune. ‘’It is not easy to be a decision maker among men but we women have to persevere’’ she said.

In January 2019, the project held a workshop for more than 200 newly elected female municipal councilors including Yacine in order to equip them in effective management skills.

Despite these positive signs, there is still a very long way to go for the political empowerment of women in Guinea , due to the level of discrimination against women in law and in practice in political and public life.