EN
Senegal
Country Profile
Action Plan on Trafficking in Persons – Smuggling of Migrants
National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP), which is under the Ministry of Justice, is responsible for implementing the national plan to combat trafficking.
National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings (2018–2020). This plan continues the work of the preceding action plan, along four axes: prevention, protection and prosecution, capacity building, and research and evaluation.
The plan has the following strategic pillars:
Prevention and awareness
Law enforcement and prosecution
Capacity building and specialization and research
Assistance and rehabilitation
Return and reintegration
Related Action Plans
The National Action Plan to Combat Gender-Based Violence and Promotion of Human Rights in Senegal is implemented by the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children. It aims to contribute to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence, including trafficking in persons, promotion of human rights, and gender equity (The National Action Plan is available in French ).
RELATED TO THE FIGHT AGAINST THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOUR:
National Strategy on Child Protection aims to establish an integrated national social protection system and specifically identifies the issue of child begging through an action plan under the supervision of Ministry of Women, Family, and Children. The strategy puts in place the Child Protection Committees currently established in 24 prefectures. The Child Protection Committees refer victims to social services and assist law enforcement in reintegrating child trafficking victims. In 2018, the government established the 39th Child Protection Committee in Bambey. The national strategy plan calls for establishing 46 committees. (Available in The National Strategy is available in French only.)
Institutional Framework
National Structures Responsible for Identifying Traffickers and Victims of Trafficking (VOT)
The identification is generally done by various actors such as:
National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP)
police agencies (national police and gendarmerie),
Brigade for Minors, Air and Border Police
social workers, NGOs, and international organizations
civil society
Agencies Responsible for Border Management
Under the Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of National Police (DGPN), the Directorate of Air Police and Border Police (Direction de la Police de l’Air et des Frontières, DPAF) and Directorate of the Police for Foreign nationals and Travel Documents (Direction de la Police des Etrangers et des Titres de Voyage, DPETV) are the two agencies involved in border management and the stay of foreigner nationals in the territory.
The Directorate of Air Police and Border Police is responsible for border control and surveillance to combat cross-border crime and irregular migration. It is also in charge of cross-border intelligence and coordinating the framework agreement signed with Spain. DPAF collaborates closely with the Mobile Intervention Group (GMI) to reinforce border control and surveillance. DPAF also played a fundamental role in the implementation of the biometric visa project and the regulation of traditional gold mining activities by controlling passenger flows and securing borders.
The Directorate of the Police for Foreigners and Travel Documents (DPETV) is responsible for managing the stay of foreigner nationals in Senegal and issuing travel documents.
More information is available about DPAF and DPETV (available in French) and DGPN ( available in French).
Under the Ministry of Armed Forces, The Gendarmerie Territorial includes a command of the territorial gendarmerie and the territorial legions, which covers the entire national territory. It is in charge of the surveillance of the territory, gathering information and implementation of the missions for the administrative police, judicial, and military. It carries out regular operations to combat illegal migration—a priority for the gendarmerie. The High Command has put in place nautical means to strengthen the capacity of surveillance units, especially on the Great Coast, which has become the preferred starting point for smugglers.
National Actors Addressing Smuggling of Migrants
Under the DPAF, The National Division for the Fight against Migrant Smuggling (Division de Lutte contre le Trafic de Migrants et pratiques assimilées, DNLT) was created in 2018 by a decree of the Ministry of Interior. Its operationalization was supported under the framework of the cooperation programme for internal security between Senegal and the EU (SENSEC-EU).
In conformity of the 2003 decree that establishes the attributions of the Directorate of Air Police and Border Police (Direction de la Police de l’Air et des Frontières, DPAF), the DNLT is the principle actor combatting migrant smuggling. As such, DNLT intervenes in the following areas:
Combat against the migrant smuggling by land, air, and sea and similar practices
Combat fraudulent documents
Combat of trafficking in persons
National Coordinating Bodies
The National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP) (Cellule National de Lutte contre la traite des personnes en particulier des femmes et des enfants) is the coordinating body for TIP in Senegal. It was established in 2010 by Decree No. 09051 of October 8, 2010. It is placed under the authority of the Prime Minister and administratively attached to the Ministry of Justice.
It is the responsibility of CNLTP to:
Monitoring and observing the fight against trafficking
Report to prosecutors all cases of trafficking brought to its attention
Set up regional structures to combat trafficking in persons
Define and implement an awareness-raising strategy for the population
Collect the public opinion of civil society and development partners in relation of its actions and programmes
Propose any legislative or regulatory changes to enhance the fight against human trafficking
Produce an annual report (Available in French)
CNLTP MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
The President, the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Women, the Family and Children (MWFC), the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security (MINT), the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of the Armed Forces, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Labour and Trade Unions (MOL), Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment, Ministry of Health (MoH), Minister of Communication, Directorate of Supervised Education and Social Protection and the minors’ brigade.
Two non-state representatives from civil society, a representative Imams and Ulama from Senegal, a representative of the collective of association of Koranic teachers, a representative of the Catholic Church serve as member of the CNLTP.
CNLTP can add other representatives in accordance with Article 5, Paragraph 2. According to this provision, CNLTP is open to a plurality of actors and can cooperate with a large number of groups and institutions, including NGOs, judicial organizations, and professional bodies involved in the fight against human trafficking.
REGARDING COORDINATION OF CHILD LABOUR:
The National Committee Against Child Labour coordinates initiatives, policies, and partnerships with civil society organizations to address child labour. Chaired by the Ministry of Labour, it includes representatives from three ministries, the police, and elected officials.
The Office of the President’s Childhood Protection Unit coordinates government efforts related to child protection, including the implementation of the National Strategy on Child Protection. It contributes to the creation and implementation of child protection policies and develops a national system for collecting and disseminating data on vulnerable children. The office also advocates on behalf of all entities working on issues related to child begging, violence against children, and child labour.
Specialized Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) Unit
In Senegal there are two main agencies:
The National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP) (Cellule National de Lutte contre la traite des personnes en particulier des femmes et des enfants) is the specialized unit for TIP.
The National Division for the Fight against Migrant Smuggling (DNLT) (Division Nationale de la Lutte contre le Trafic de Migrants) is the specialized unit for SOM.
Introduction
General Information
Senegal is an origin, transit, and destination country for many migrants in West and Central Africa who may be subjected to trafficking in persons. Forced begging is the most prevalent form of trafficking, but traffickers also subject youth to domestic servitude, forced labour in gold mines, and sex trafficking. As reported in previous years, traffickers fraudulently recruit victims through the pretext of traditional cultural practices called “confiage” whereby parents send children to live with family or acquaintances in order for the child to have better access to education and economic opportunities; traffickers then exploit children in forced labour and sex trafficking through this practice. Internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking, although traffickers exploit boys from Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali in forced begging in Senegalese cities, as well as in forced labour in artisanal gold mines in Senegal. Traffickers exploit Senegalese women and girls in domestic servitude in neighboring countries, Europe, and the Middle East, including Egypt. Traffickers also subject Nigerians, Guineans, Malians, and Burkinabes to forced labour and sex trafficking in mining communities. In 2018, authorities identified Ukrainian and Chinese women exploited in sex trafficking in bars and nightclubs. West African women and girls are subjected to domestic servitude and sex trafficking in Senegal, including for child sex tourism, by tourists from France, Belgium, Germany, and other countries. Child sex tourism primarily occurs in the cities of Dakar and Saint-Louis and, to a lesser extent, in Cap Skirring and La Petit Côte, traditional tourist areas, and increasingly in private residences.
Main Trends and Figures
In 2017, 1,381 trafficking victims were identified. The National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (Cellule de Lutte contre la Traite des Personnes - CNLTP) identified 10 additional victims on the basis of the figures provided by the judicial courts of Dakar, Saint-Louis, and Tambacounda regions between March 2017 and April 2018. In 2019 , the government identified and referred 1,358 potential child trafficking victims, fewer than in 2018.
Between July 2018 and April 2019, IOM supported 139 vulnerable migrants to return to their country of origin. Between 2017 and 2018, 5,300 Senegalese migrants were helped to return to Senegal.
In 2018, 1,100 Senegalese migrants who intended to reach Europe were identified as vulnerable to trafficking in Libya. The majority of migrants reported traveling through Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to reach Libya with the intent to reach Europe.
Existing Mechanisms
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrant (SOM) Hotlines
TIP/SOM- 0800 225 562 7847 / 0800 CALL NAPTIP *
Others (Children protection/assistance) - 0800 800 8001**
*The Ginddi Centre can be also contacted via Facebook or at Tel: +221 33 827 89 80.
Measures to Detect Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM)
As in past years, CNLTP co-financed and led five trainings with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and NGOs on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting human trafficking. These trainings reached more than 159 judges, prosecutors, and police officers, as compared to reaching 200 officials in 2019. In addition, the Ministry of Justice conducted several training sessions for law enforcement and judiciary officials on the 2005 law, investigation practices, and victim identification and assistance procedures at the Judicial Training Centre as well as at the national police and gendarmerie schools.
National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and/or Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
Senegal has no National Referral Mechanism related to victims of trafficking.
In support of the NRM, the frontline identification actors that informs and coordinates with Service providers/actors for further assistance.
The rules for victim referrals are inconsistently applied by authorities. Authorities referred victims identified along Senegal’s borders to government centres for questioning before referring them to NGOs or government centres for protective services.
Law Enforcement Agencies Responsible for Investigating Cases of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrant (SOM)
In Senegal, TBH and SOM investigations are carried out by various law enforcement agencies according to their mandate and the laws. The 2005 anti-trafficking law (Article 8) defines the authorization and procedures for the investigations.
The Directorate of Air Police and Border Police (DPAF) is responsible for the investigation of possible cases at the borders. It has around 700 police officers deployed to all land borders. Four coastal mobile brigades were created in 2007. Since the beginning of 2007, the vast majority of DPAF staff have been able to follow training courses within the framework of projects financed by France and the EU. No specific training on trafficking was provided, however a contact at central management was appointed to investigate this matter.
The National Division for the Fight against Migrant Smuggling (DNLT) (Division de Lutte contre le Trafic de Migrants et pratiques assimilées) is the specialized unit responsible for criminal investigation to combat migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons. The 8 special police stations of the DPAF are also involved in the fight against these crimes.
The Criminal investigation Division (DIC) is one of the three structures of the Judicial Police Directorate (DPJ) of the Senegalese police. DPJ, which is one of the nine other directorates comprising the General Directorate of National Security (DG/SN), is responsible for combatting serious national and international crime in its capacity as liaison with INTERPOL. It hosts and provides the secretariat for the National Bureau (BCN). It is also responsible for the centralization and dissemination of information from other police services. DPJ has, in addition to the DIC, the Judicial Affairs Division or DAJ - who deals with legislation, centralization of criminal cases, and disseminating fact sheets on major criminal cases - and the division of criminal cases. It is specialized in major criminal investigations, organized crime, and economic and financial offenses. DIC it is one of these divisions, namely the General Affairs Brigade (BAG) which deals specifically with judicial delegations (investigation files) and the execution of the prosecutor’s instructions, hence its proximity to the judicial institution. Within its competences, DIC can be called upon for further investigations, by the police services, or by the hierarchy in the event that a case has ramifications at the national or international level.
The Central National INTERPOL Office (BCN) in Dakar has a team of 10 police officers, one of whom is responsible for trafficking in persons. The BCN works in close collaboration with national police for the international investigations. It has a secured global communication system (24/7) that allows it to communicate in real time with other police forces in the 186 member countries. BCN can also benefit from the assistance of the subregional office of INTERPOL in Abidjan and the Command and Coordination Centre of the General Secretariat of the INTERPOL OIP, whose central office is in Lyon.
The Children’s Brigade is the police agency specialized in the protection of minors. It has a real presence in the field and conducts investigations to identify street children who are in danger, day and night. The brigade was created in 1994 in the jurisdiction of Dakar. It is composed of twenty-one police officers and is placed under the command of a commissioner. The territorial gendarmerie is also involved in the fight against trafficking and smuggling of migrants that are minors as part of its general jurisdiction throughout the country.
Identity and Travel Documentation Investigation and Forensic Lab
Under the Ministry of Interior, the Directorate of Document Automatization (Direction de l’automatisation des fichiers, DAF) is for managing population files for the development of the new biometric national identity card defined by ECOWAS. The biometrics associated with the cards makes it possible to “’identify individuals automatically through their fingerprints and photograph’” with the AFIS system. DAF is also responsible for issuing ID cards to foreign nationals and refugees.
The Directorate of the Police for Foreign Nationals and Travel Documents (DPETV) is responsible for managing the stay of foreign nationals in Senegal and for preparing travel documents, such as identity cards issued to foreign nationals settled for a stay of at least one year in Senegal. Their records provide information on the country of nationality and country of birth, age, sex, marital status, and level of education, type of residence permit as well as the period of validity, the date of entry into the territory, the job held, the branch of activity, and the professional situation.
The Directorate of Air Police and Border Police (DPAF). Since 2017, DPAF has a forensic laboratory to check ID and fraudulent documents.
Technical Working Groups
There are no technical working groups specifically responsible for studying TIP and SOM.
Agency in charge of Trafficking in Persons (TIP)/Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) data collection and processing
CNLTP, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Affairs and Amnesty (Direction des Affaires Criminelles et de Grâces, DACG), has set up a policy of awareness and collection of statistics, allowing it to have all data in terms of alert, prosecution, and judgment of the perpetrators of trafficking as well as the identification of all victims, with a view to ensuring their assistance and protection.
In 2019, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Senegal and the Ministry of Justice, through its National Unit for Combatting Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP) and the Directorate of Criminal Affairs and Amnesty (DACG), have endeavored to promote the country’s first human trafficking case law database, the “Système de suivi de la traite,” known as Systraite (available in French only). The online system was developed in 2014 and it was put in place in October 2019. The database will collect data on trafficking survivors – such as the country or region of origin, age, and gender – the types of abuse they faced, and other data including methods of referral procedure before courts and traffickers’ profiles. Systraite will be deployed in five pilot regions: Dakar, Kedougou, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, and Thies, the most affected regions in Senegal.
CNLT produces annual reports; the latest is on its 2015-2017 activities and is available on their website or on request.
Protection and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking Agencies
Competent authority and mechanism used to officially identify and recognize a person as a Victims of Trafficking (VOT)
In Senegal, the investigating, prosecuting authorities identify victims of trafficking. The 2005 law specifies measures related to the protection of victims.
Assistance Services and Contacts
In Senegal there is no specific assistance mandated specifically for victims of trafficking. However, the Ministry of Good Governance and Child Protection (MGGCP) takes the lead for child trafficking victim protection. The Ginddi Centre, under the aegis of the MGGCP, provided temporary shelter and basic care to both foreign and domestic victims.
Cross-Border Cooperation
Existing International Cooperation Agreements - Cross Border and Extradition Treaties
Senegal is signatory and has ratified a number of UN treaties and multilateral and bilateral treaties relating to trafficking, smuggling, and cross-border issues, such as:
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Protocol to Present, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 2000, which defines trafficking in persons and is applicable to the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of trafficking cases where they are transnational in nature. Senegal signed and ratified this convention in December 2000 and October 22, 2003, respectively.
Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime 2000, which criminalizes inter alia participation in an organized crime group, laundering of proceeds of crime, and corruption of public officials.
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography, 2000.
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, which enjoins State parties to take all appropriate national bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent the abduction of the slave or traffic in children for pay purpose of in any form. Senegal signed this convention on January 1990 and ratified same in July 1990.
REGIONAL COOPERATION
ECOWAS Free movement of persons, residence and establishment protocol and supplementary protocols
ECOWAS Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (1992)
ECOWAS Interim Plan of Action (2001)
At its 25th session in Dakar in December 2001, the fifteen ECOWAS member states adopted and endorsed the adopted and endorsed the ECOWAS Interim Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking of Human Beings 2002-2003. The meeting was organized by ECOWAS and the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODC). Senegal is signatory to the 2006 Joint ECCAS/ECOWAS Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children in West and Central Africa as well.
The Libreville Declaration (2000)“Libreville Common Platform for action to fight Child Trafficking for exploitative labour purposes in West and Central Africa” was signed in Libreville, Gabon, on February 24, 2000 by 21 countries in West and Central Africa, including Senegal.
Senegal is part of the Libreville Joint Platform for Action of February 24, 2000 on the development of strategies to combat trafficking in children for the purpose of exploiting their work in West and Central Africa. The Libreville Consultation is the result of a long process of collaboration and continuous exchange between UNICEF, ILO, and the government of Gabon, which facilitated the participation of 21 countries of the region of West and Central Africa.
The Multilateral Regional Cooperation Agreement to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children in West and Central Africa was signed in Abuja on July 6, 2006.
The Headquarters Agreement between Senegal and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed on 1998. The IOM office in Dakar, Senegal, has been working with the Government of Senegal and other stakeholders in the field of migration to address the challenges and opportunities presented by dynamic migratory patterns and trends. IOM’s activities in Senegal have focused on building on the link between migration and development in Senegal, counter-trafficking activities, assisted voluntary return and reintegration support for migrants returning to Senegal, and strengthening government capacity in labour migration management and migration policy development.
UNHCR operates locally in Senegal and regionally covers Benin, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo. UNHCR works with the Government of Senegal in the National Committee for the Management of the Status of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons (CNRRPD) for legal aspects of integration and the National Eligibility Commission for refugees’ status determination. UNHCR Senegal also coordinates humanitarian, repatriation, and reintegration assistance.
UNODC has its regional office in Dakar. The Regional Office for West and Central Africa covers 22 countries (15 in West Africa and 7 in Central Africa). It responds to the challenges presented by the region, and to the call for support from ECOWAS, by designing a cross-cutting and multilateral strategy based on the principle of shared responsibility, on peacebuilding, security sector reform, national institution building, and capacity building efforts. Senegal is included in the UNODC regional PROMIS programme; it provides technical assistance and legislative drafting support to enhance legal frameworks on smuggling of migrants as well as provides capacity building for the criminal justice system to reinforce, detect, investigate, and prosecute SOM-related crimes. For more information and contact details ( English – French).
INTERPOL: The Central National INTERPOL Office (BCN) in Dakar has a team of 10 police officers, one of whom is responsible for trafficking in persons. BCN is equipped with a secure global communication system (24/7) that allows it to communicate in real time with other police forces in the 186 member countries. BCN can also benefit from the assistance of the subregional office of INTERPOL in Abidjan and the Command and Coordination Centre of the General Secretariat of the INTERPOL OIP, whose central office is in Lyon.
AT THE BILATERAL LEVEL, SENEGAL HAS SIGNED THESE AGREEMENTS:
The Senegalese CNLTP signed a cooperation agreement on December 6, 2013 with the Gambian NAATIP.
It signed a bilateral agreement with Mali on combatting cross-border child trafficking.
Senegal concluded the agreement with Spain in 2006 for the prevention of emigration of unaccompanied Senegalese minors, their protection, repatriation, and reintegration. Prevention activities detailed by the agreement include information dissemination, control of trafficking networks, and assistance to the economic and social development of regions of origin. Protection and repatriation activities through cooperation mechanisms between the Senegalese and Spanish authorities are also included. (Available in French)
An Agreement with France on migration flows (2006) (amended in 2008) covers various aspects relating to migration, such as the movement of people, labour migration, irregular migration, and migration and development. It also includes details on readmission (Article 42).
Judiciary agreements: Senegal has judiciary agreements with Cape Verde (1999), Gambia (1973), Guinea-Bissau (1975), Mali (1965), and France (1974).
Extradition agreements: Senegal has extradition agreements with Tunisia and Morocco. Senegal is also a party of the 1994 ECOWAS agreements on extradition.
Transnational Referral Mechanism
A Transnational Referral Mechanism (TRM) does not currently exist.
To learn more about TRMs, see IOM’s Transnational Referral Mechanism Model (TACT) project and tool
Additional International Instruments
BETWEEN THE EU AND SENEGAL
In 2016 the EU and Senegal signed a 10 million euro financing agreement for a cooperation programme on internal security (SENSEC-EU). The project aims to support the Senegalese authorities in charge of internal security (national police and gendarmerie, customs, Ministry of Justice) by providing technical assistance to improve their efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability in the fight against major threats such as terrorism, organized crime, and irregular migration.
Relevant National Legislation and Policies
Entry requirements
All 15 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states are entitled to travel/enter the country with National ID card or ECOWAS Laisser-Passer and valid passport (valid up to 90 days’ stay).
Visa exempted: all European Union (EU) members nationals and nationals of the UK, Chad, and Mauritania (valid up to 90 days’ stay).
VISA required: a visa on arrival is available for category B and C countries. Persons must have a passport valid for a minimum of six months from the arrival date, a return/onward ticket, and proof of accommodation (valid for 30 days’ stay).
More information is available at the Airport Dakar Visa and Entry Conditions website.
Relevant National Legislation and Policies
National legislation
To respect its international and regional commitments, Senegal has taken legal and institutional measures to combat trafficking in persons. On the legal level, it was the adoption of:
2005 Law to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Related Practices to Protect Victims (available in English and French). The law criminalizes acts of trafficking and related practices focusing on various forms of exploitation of vulnerable people and its transnational and organized causes, Chapter I, Section I (Articles 1 and 2) and the exploitation of begging others to Section II (Article 3). The Act complements the collection of repressive acts by criminalizing the organized illegal migration, trafficking in visas, and other travel documents or identification (Sections 5, 6 and 7 of Chapter II). To conduct effective law enforcement against trafficking in persons, Chapter III provides for powers of investigation (Article 8) and extends the jurisdiction of the Senegalese courts (Articles 9 to 11). The rights and guarantees granted to victims of trafficking by international legal instruments ratified by Senegal are the subject of Chapter IV of the draft law (Article 12 et seq.)
The Penal Code (available in French ) contains a set of provisions that criminalize acts related to human trafficking. The offenses of pimping, pedophilia, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and kidnapping of vulnerable people are punished by the penal code.
REGARDING CHILD LABOUR
The 2005 Law to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Related Practices to Protect Victims prohibits forced labour and child trafficking (Article 1). (The 2005 Law is available in French)
The Ministerial Order No. 3749 (The Ministerial Order is available in French) Determining and Prohibiting the Worst Forms of Child Labour prohibits the forced labour, commercial sexual exploitation of children, and using children in illicit activities (Article 2)
The Penal Code prohibits the commercial sexual exploitation of children (Articles 323 and 324).
Recent Modifications and New Decrees
In 2019, Senegal authorities worked a law revision project to update their laws related to TIP and SOM, which are in the process of being validated.
The Penal Code has been updated based on the evaluation of the 2005 human trafficking law.
The government also drafted a revised law on human trafficking aiming to widen the law’s use by prosecutors because it has been rarely applied in the past.
Related to this revision project, the government also announced plans to draft a separate migrant smuggling law to encourage use of these laws by prosecutors. The goal is to make it more aligned with international standards and with other laws in Senegal that combat human trafficking.
The government finalized and made public a draft of the revamped Child Code as part of the draft law.
Legal Instruments for Assistance and Compensation for Victims of Trafficking
REGARDING LEGAL ASSISTANCE
The victims of trafficking have access to legal assistance without any condition or form of discrimination.
The public prosecutor can request to place child victims under guardianship or legal administration and request the following measures:
Relocation and accommodation outside the detention centre reserved for alleged offenders
Medical and psychological assistance
Access to appropriate legal assistance
The possibility for victims to be repatriated to their country of origin at their request
Access to the diplomatic and consular services of the country of origin within a reasonable time
The 2005 Law to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Article 15. Once the public proceedings for the offenses referred to in this law have been initiated, no victim may be removed from the national territory until a final decision has been reached on the public and civil proceedings. Victims of the offenses referred to in this law may apply to remain in the national territory on a temporary or permanent basis, with resident or refugee status, in accordance with the laws in force.
REGARDING VICTIM’S COMPENSATION
In Senegal does not offer specific compensation for victims of trafficking, but they can benefit from the general provision of compensation.