On the Talibé Phenomenon: A Look into the Complex Nature of Forced Child Begging in Senegal

Abstract

This paper focuses on factors that have contributed to the persistence of forced child begging in Senegal. It interprets from a socio-cultural perspective the evolution and acceptance of an unremitting social phenomenon where talibés or Muslim child disciples beg on the streets of a now metropolitan Senegal. In seeking to highlight the fundamental causes of forced child begging, this paper draws on fieldwork and interviews with religious leaders, ngo representatives and Senegalese citizens. The paper then argues that there are four vital factors at the root of the perpetuation of the issue in question: parental motivation; the concept of alms giving; the lack of collaboration among various advocacy groups; and the lack of communication between government officials and religious leaders. These factors in their breadth allow for a macroscopic and exploratory analysis of the phenomenon of forced child begging and the implications of the problems it poses for the current state of Senegalese society. Finally, the paper aims to highlight how proposed solutions of engaging in forthright conversations about the controversial nature of the practice along with consolidating earnest efforts to put an end to it, can help lead to the termination of what has emerged as a modern human rights tragedy.

Street-connectedness through a COVID-19 lens: Exploring media representations of street-connected children to understand their societal positionality

“…Senegal, like Nigeria, has a culture of sending children away to Koranic schools that encourage these talibés to beg to pay for their education (Zoumanigui, 2016). Six media sources focused on their experiences of the pandemic.…”

Cursos migratórios e novas circularidades: migrantes da África Ocidental no Sul do Brasil

“…Estes foram apresentados por Hamid entremeados a suas vivências, como os períodos que refere como os mais difíceis: a perda de sua mãe e a mendicância religiosa durante sua infância. O fenômeno talibé e sua relação com a mendicância infantil ainda são práticas usuais em algumas escolas corânicas no Senegal e geram controvérsia, dadas as denúncias de situações análogas à escravização e de violação de direitos fundamentais (Human Rights Watch, 2019;Zoumanigui, 2016).…”

An Analytical Study Of The Nature And Issues Of Beggars In Karachi

“…Many factors are considered as potential factors in enhancing the social evil of global child begging or begging at all, but the major factors are religion and poverty because it influences human behaviour (Zoumanigui, 2016). Bukoye reported that, when parents send their children for education away from home, then these children are sometimes forcefully incorporated into begging, some say that begging has taken the form of an industry now (Bukoye, 2015).…”