A coalition of African and international rights groups has condemned what it calls an escalating campaign of intimidation against workers in Senegal’s water sector, just hours before the world marks International Human Rights Day 2025.
The Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), Public Services International (PSI) and Corporate Accountability on Sunday criticised the management of Senegal’s water utility, SEN’EAU, for allegedly targeting Comrade Oumar BA, General Secretary of the Autonomous Union of Water Workers of Senegal (SATES).
The organisations say BA has faced sustained harassment for questioning SEN’EAU’s attempt to negotiate a multi-year agreement with three unions while excluding SATES. SATES is currently challenging a digital voting process used to elect union representatives in the company, which workers claim is unlawful and lacks transparency.
According to the coalition, SEN’EAU’s punitive actions violate fundamental trade union freedoms and amount to an attack on human rights.
Tensions intensified on November 28, when Comrade BA reportedly began a hunger strike in protest against what he describes as years of harassment and reprisals from SEN’EAU’s leadership.
Rights groups say his condition is now a matter of urgent concern.
OWORAC and its partners argue that the treatment of BA reflects a deeper collapse of trust within the company and highlights a broader crisis in Senegal’s water sector, which has experienced poor service delivery, rising costs and widespread complaints since the privatisation of water management under SEN’EAU.
They further note that SEN’EAU is largely controlled by French multinational Suez, a relationship they say has worsened the power imbalance between management and workers.
Communities across Senegal have repeatedly raised concerns over deteriorating water services, with similar patterns emerging in privately managed rural water schemes. With major rural water contracts due to expire in 2027 and 2028, the coalition says the government has a significant opportunity to rethink its governance model.
OWORAC, PSI and Corporate Accountability have called on SEN’EAU and Senegalese authorities to immediately halt all disciplinary and retaliatory actions against Comrade BA
Withdraw threats and intimidation against water workers
Cancel the disputed digital elections
Restore transparent, lawful processes in line with Senegalese labour laws
Provide urgent medical care and protection for BA
The groups say Human Rights Day’s 2025 theme, “Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials,” cannot be honoured while workers defending public accountability are punished.
The statement was jointly signed by over a dozen organisations across Africa and beyond, including:
Water Citizens Network / Revenue Mobilisation Africa (Ghana); Public Service International (Africa and Arab Region); Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (Nigeria); Biodiversity and Biosafety Association Kenya (BIBA Kenya); Disability Not a Barrier Initiative (Nigeria); Cheriehomes Global Initiatives (Nigeria); Africa Water Justice Network; Voices for Water (Zimbabwe); Senegalese Water Justice Network (Senegal); SYNATEEC (Cameroon); African Centre for Advocacy (Cameroon); Corporate Accountability (USA); and CSA-Sen (Senegal).
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