Overview of Human Rights in Senegal

While the government of Senegal works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens, problems exist in some areas. Several members of the security and police forces in Senegal are known to have participated in unlawful killings, mistreatment of prisoners and detainees, and questionable detention of suspects. Corruption and impunity are pervasive in both the security and police forces. The government arbitrarily restricts freedoms of speech, press, and assembly. Self-censorship is practiced by journalists for fear of reprisal for overtly criticizing the government. Human trafficking, child labor, domestic violence, child abuse, child marriage and high rates of infanticide are other areas of concern. Prison overcrowding is also a growing problem.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

156th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.