HRW Calls on Senegal to Uphold Displaced Community’s Right to Adequate Housing

HRW Calls on Senegal to Uphold Displaced Community’s Right to Adequate Housing
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According to JURIST News, a legal news and research service, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the government of Senegal to provide adequate housing to a community displaced by rising sea levels. Since 2016, approximately 1,000 residents of the coastal community of Khar Yalla have been living in temporary, isolated housing that lacks basic services.

The article notes that the displacement was caused by global warming and rising sea levels. The community, primarily composed of fishers, was relocated five kilometers inland, which has prevented them from making a living and has led to a significant increase in poverty. HRW has also urged the World Bank to improve its consultation processes with communities impacted by climate change, particularly as the Senegalese government has received significant funding for the relocation of coastal communities but has failed to use it to assist the Khar Yalla residents.

HRW argues that the government’s inaction and the poor living conditions may be a violation of the residents’ right to an adequate standard of living, which is protected under international human rights declarations.