Human Rights, Citizenship and Democracy in Senegal (1999-2000)

Background

With a population of app 8.7 million, Senegal is situated in West Africa. Since 1960, the governmenthas adopted a decentralization policy as a means to strengthen Senegalese democracy. Indeed, since 1996 , Senegal has created three levels of communes. On the one hand local representatives do not always possess the expertise required to fully assume their duties and on the other, the population is not sufficiently aware of the meaningful role they could play as citizens. Therefore there exists real need for information and knowledge among the population and local representatives. The locally elected representatives should acquire knowledge so as to put into practice essential concepts of human rights and democracy, and this should be complemented by informing the population so that they acquire skills to strenghten democratic participation.

Summary

Launched in 1999, the project consists of a training programme on human rights and democracy aimed at both the local representatives and the population in an effort to make the two main actors of the democratic process exchange ideas and expectations. The project is carried out in three project sites and it has two complementary objectives: the first one is to improve the level of information on human rights and participatory democracy of local representatives and to ensure their commitment to these principles; the second one is to encourage popular participation  in the decision making process, by  providing the population with the means to critically analyze public policy and measures as well as partake in the collective management of local communities. 

Partners

The Ministry of Decentralization is the national counter part, DANIDA provides funding and UNESCO provides technical and intellectual assistance. 

Activities

50 persons participate in a three-day workshop with local representatives and members of civil society to debate priority issues within the field of human rights and democracy.
30 local representatives participate in a workshop on human rights and democracy in a local context.
Roundtables on human rights and democracy will be organized with the particpation of local representatives , members of civil society and experts.
As a way to disseminate knowledge to the general public, these debates will be broadcast and dealt with through local radio programmes as well as be accompanied by surveys.

Expected Impacts

It is foreseen that the beneficiary local representatives and civil society adapt the fundamental principles of democracy and adapted human rights instruments to the local context, thereby more effectively applying those principles and standards. It is furthermore expected that local representatives and the broader population participate together more actively in the decision making process as well as in the public management of local communities.

Experience