Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

110th session

7–31 August 2023

Item 4 of the provisional agenda

Consideration of reports, comments and information submitted by States parties

under article 9 of the Convention

List of themes in relation to the nineteenth to twenty-third periodic reports of Senegal

Note by the Country Rapporteur

1.The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination decided at its seventy-sixth session that the Country Rapporteur would send to the State party concerned a short list of themes with a view to guiding and focusing the dialogue between the State party’s delegation and the Committee during the consideration of the State party’s report. The present document contains a list of such themes. It is not an exhaustive list; other issues may also be raised in the course of the dialogue. No written replies are required.

Statistics

2.Updated and comprehensive statistics on the ethnic composition of the population, as well as socioeconomic indicators relating to the ethnic minorities in the State party.

The Convention in domestic law and the institutional and policy framework for its implementation (arts. 1, 2 and 4)

3.Specific examples of cases in which provisions of the Convention have been invoked before or applied by domestic courts.

4.Measures taken to bring the Senegalese Human Rights Committee into full compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles).

5.Information on the application of Act No. 81-77 of 10 December 1981 in the political, economic, social and cultural fields or in any other area of public life. Precise information on the content and application of the legal provisions that criminalize the actions described in article 4 of the Convention.

Implementation of the Convention (arts. 2 and 5)

6.Impact of measures taken to develop and open up Casamance, such as in the Casamance Economic Development Support Programme. Precise information on the progress and application of the reparation and compensation programme for civilian victims of the Casamance conflict, mainly the Diola.

7.Concrete measures taken to combat discrimination based on descent, and specifically caste. Further information on the system in place to identify and ban all initiatives that encourage the practice and promotion of racial discrimination, including descent-based discrimination.

8.Impact and results of measures adopted to combat the exploitation of talibé children and ensure their effective protection. Progress on the adoption of the bill on the status of daara schools, which aims to include them in the national education system, validated by the Council of Ministers in June 2018. Information on the updated number of complaints filed, investigations carried out, prosecutions initiated and convictions handed down concerning cases of forced begging and any forms of abuse, mistreatment or exploitation of talibé children.

9.The implementation and impact of measures, including consultative measures, taken to ensure the protection of ethnic communities affected by natural resource development projects. Measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly in coastal regions, and measures to preserve the traditional lifestyles of the affected ethnic communities, in particular fishermen.

10.Measures to combat discrimination against persons with albinism.

11.Concrete measures adopted to combat intersectional forms of discrimination, including against women belonging to ethnic groups, particularly in matters of inheritance and access to land. Measures to eliminate harmful practices against them, including forced marriage, early marriage and female genital mutilation.

Situation of non-citizens (arts. 5 and 6)

12.Information on the amendment of legislation on refugees, including the adoption of the draft law on refugee status and statelessness launched in 2012 and the strengthening of the National Commission on Eligibility for Refugee Status. Information on the issuing of identity cards to refugees and the recognition of their validity by public services and private establishments.

13.Concrete measures to ensure effective protection for migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, including as part of the implementation of the joint strategy with the European Union. The impact of measures taken to improve the living conditions and enhance the social integration of refugees and asylum-seekers.

14.Concrete measures taken to prevent statelessness or the risk of statelessness in Senegal.

Access to justice (art. 6)

15.Information on administrative and judicial remedies available for reporting racial discrimination or for lodging complaints and on measures to facilitate access to such remedies for victims. Information on awareness-raising campaigns on existing legal remedies for racial discrimination, as well as on training given to judges, magistrates, prosecutors and law enforcement officers on the application of legislation against racial discrimination and of the Convention.

16.Updated information on the number of complaints lodged, investigations performed, prosecutions undertaken and penalties handed down in cases involving racial discrimination.

Human rights training and awareness-raising (art. 7)

17.Updated information on education and training programmes on human rights, including on the provisions of the Convention, and on awareness-raising campaigns designed to strengthen the elimination of any discriminatory practices based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.