Empowered African Women

In 2023, Mrs. Aminata Diallo, President of the COOMISGUI (Committee of Miss Guinea), invited me to take the official portraits of the candidates for the Miss Guinea Beauty Pageant. Over a month and a half, I traveled with the COOMISGUI team across the country to select three candidates from each region for the Miss Guinée grand final election in Conakry.

This project piqued my interest as I wanted to understand the aspirations of modern, educated women in Guinea and Africa in general and their evolving roles in the socio-economic landscape of their country.

During the photo sessions, I asked each candidate, “How do you see the empowerment of women in Guinea and Africa in general?”. The answer is featured along with the portrait.

The emancipation of women in Guinea and Africa is crucial for socio-economic and cultural progress. It depends on education, economic empowerment, and equal rights. By providing equal access to education and career opportunities, women can become catalysts for change in their communities. Additionally, it is important to address cultural practices and discriminatory laws that restrict women's rights. Empowering women contributes to poverty reduction and the creation of a more equitable and balanced society.

A 52mn film documentary was created for TV5 Monde by Gilles Lallement.