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Claiming Human Rights - in Senegal

The Republic of Senegal is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Senegal is a French-speaking country in West Africa. With an area of 196,723 square km it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. On a global scale, its population density is medium. The capital of the country, which became independent on 4 April 1960 from France, is Dakar. Senegal is a member of the regional economic communities ECOWAS and CEN-SAD.

With a Human Development Index of 0.46 Senegal ranks 166th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 12.2 million inhabitants at birth is 56 years, population growth is 2.6 percent per year. GNI is 970 US-$ per capita. External debt is 23.4 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 71.9 percent.

In as far as Senegal has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Senegal and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Senegal may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Senegal is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Senegal may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Senegal has ratified.

Since Senegal is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Senegal has joined the International Criminal Court, it may thus be called upon in case of severe crimes.

Signature: 1970 Ratification: 1978 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 1970 Ratification optional protocol: 1978 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 1996 Last concluding observations: 1997  
Signature: 1970 Ratification: 1978 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2000 Last concluding observations: 2001  
Signature: 1968 Ratification: 1972 Reservations:   Competence CERD acknowledged: yes/oui Last State report: 2011 Last concluding observations: 2002  
Signature: 1980 Ratification: 1985 Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 1999 Ratification optional protocol: 2000 Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations: 1994  
Signature: 1985 Ratification: 1986 Reservations:   Article 22 competence acknowledged: yes/oui Last State report: 1995 Last concluding observations: 1996  
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1990 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2006 Last concluding observations: 2006  
Signature:   Ratification: 1999 (accession) Reservations:   Last State report: 2010 Last concluding observations: 2010  
Signature: 2007 Ratification: 2008 Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2007 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1982 Ratification Protocol African Court: 1998 Ratification Children's Charter: 1998 Ratification Maputo Protocol: 2004 Last State report: 2003  
International Criminal Court joined: yes/oui 
Country Rapporteur:   
National Human Rights Institute: yes/oui  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 12:25