This panel seeks to highlight the connection between Environmental violence and Migration in West Africa. Because of man”s terrible agressions on the environment such as deforestation and overfishing, not only do young West African people migrate to Europe, but also Spirits, wild species and some traditional religious ceremonies have disappeared from West African forests.
When we talk about violence, we automatically think of physical, moral or verbal violence between individuals or groups of people. We, often, tend to overlook man’s violence on nature or on his immediate environment ; which causes people, animals and even Spirits to migrate. We should bear in mind that the quality of our lives is closely related to the environment. Unfortunately, man has been violently acting on nature for such a long time. For many decades, the phenomenon of global warming has been the world’s concern and its leaders regularly reflect upon it at forums called COPs to propose ways and means to resolve the problem. Environmental Violence is mostly defined as follows: ‘’The violence on the natural world as a result of human degradation of the earth and direct damage to the environment by humans that threatens their own survival. It may also include environmental policies that can be harmful to people, other living species and biodiversity’’. Migration of people and other species has recently developed in Africa due to humans’ violent agressions on nature ; such as the abusive deforestation, overfishing and coastal erosion to name but a few. The excessive cutting of trees, for example, has caused forests to lose their traditional importance. In Africa, they have always been known as the homes of good and bad Spirits, wild games, the reserve of medicinal plants and the sanctuaries for religious celebrations. Overfishing and coastal erosion are also quite rampant in Africa. Thus, it is more than urgent for world leaders and their populations to join efforts in order to limit the environmental violence for the sake of future generations. The objective of this presentation is to analyze the main consequences of environmental violence on people, spirits and other living species in West Africa especially in Senegal. It is structured in three parts. The first one deals with the departure of Spirits from their traditional habitats and the progressive eradication of genuine African religions. The second one expounds on the causes of young Senegalese people’s migration to Europe. Finally, the third and last part focuses on the possible solutions to limit those world’s catastrophes.
Please send your abstract of no more than 250 words to Louis Mendy at mendymerylouis@gmail.com by March 10, 2025.
Environmental Violence and Migration in Africa
