Senegal

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Departamento encuestado: Ministry of Industry and Mines / Directorate of Mines and Geology

¿Su gobierno ha adoptado alguna iniciativa para reducir los impactos negativos de las empresas en los derechos humanos que usted considere particularmente exitosa? Por favor indique uno o más ejemplos al respecto.

  • The Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were unanimously approved by the UN Human Rights Council in its Resolution 17/4, of 16 June 2011, implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework.
  • At a regional level, certain provisions of human rights instruments protect human rights in corporate activities, particularly the right to economic, social and cultural development in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and references to child labour in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
  • Several sub-regional instruments (Directive 2009 of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Mining Code of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) highlight the relevance of the topic, which can also be measured against international instruments on issues of mineral resources, human rights and transparency.

The Senegalese authorities have undertaken a process of reform and expressed considerable determination to ensure responsible mining that is not only respectful of human rights and the environment, but also sufficiently profitable to become a means of economic and social change.

  • In response, several firms holding mineral resource exploration and operating licences have expressed their predisposition towards engaging in responsible and fair practices. These firms have brought economic added value nationally thanks to their significant contribution to solving youth and female unemployment, to providing compensation for land issues, restoring livelihoods, improving people’s health, supporting the education sector, etc.

¿Qué departamento o departamentos tienen una responsabilidad significativa respecto a las empresas y los derechos humanos dentro de su gobierno?

Ministry of Industry and Mines; Ministry of Local Governance, Development and Urban Planning; Ministry of the Interior and Civil Protection; Ministry of Health and Social Action; Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development; Ministry of Labour, Social Dialogue, Professional Organisations and Institutional Relations; Ministry of Trade, the Informal Sector, Consumption, Local Product Promotion and SMEs; Ministry of Fisheries and the Marine Economy; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Facilities; Ministry of Water and Sanitation; Ministry of Infrastructure, Air Transport and Connectivity; Ministry of Post and Telecommunications; Ministry of the Economy, Finance and the Budget; Ministry of Livestock Raising and Farming; Ministry of Tourism and Air Transport; Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energy Development; Ministry of African Integration, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Promotion of Good Governance.

Establishment of an interministerial committee.

¿Su gobierno ha promovido nuevas iniciativas en el tema de empresas y derechos humanos, o ha fortalecido las ya existentes, desde la aprobación de los Principios Rectores de las Naciones Unidas en junio de 2011?

Yes.

¿Cuáles son los cinco principales temas de derechos humanos en los que las pueden tener impacto, sobre los que su gobierno ha tomado medidas?

Top 5 priority issues:

  • Health (including environmental health, workplace health & safety)
  • Forced labour & trafficking
  • Sexual harassment
  • Women’s rights
  • Impacts on children, including child labour

Medidas en materia de salud

Free healthcare for the elderly.

Medidas en materia de trabajo forzoso y trata de personas

Mining regulation.

Medidas en materia de acoso sexual

Parity, rights and protection of women and children.

Medidas en materia de niños y niñas

Reform of public procurement.

¿Su gobierno ha adoptado un Plan de Acción Nacional sobre las empresas y los derechos humanos como lo recomienda el Consejo de los Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas y el Grupo de Trabajo sobre la Cuestión de los derechos humanos y las empresas transnacionales y otras empresas, o lo hará en el futuro?

Creation of a Senegalese Human Rights Committee.

The National Action Plan is in currently being prepared (Senegalese Human Rights Committee – SHRC), new Mining Code, Transparency in the Extractive Industries, Respect for and Protection of Human Rights, formalisation of the Mining Social Programme (MSP), Articles L94, L95, L96, L97, L102, L103, L104, L105, L106, L107, L109, L112, L113, L115, L123, L124 of the 2015 Draft Mining Code Bill.

Si su gobierno ha adoptado un Plan Nacional de Acción o está planeando adoptar uno, por favor destaque si hace referencia a las normas internacionales de derechos humanos y si se adoptaron bajo consulta con las partes interesadas y afectadas.

Yes, the National Action Plan developed by the SHRC is currently being prepared. It refers to the Principles of the UN, the African Union, ECOWAS and the WAEMU, and consultation workshops have been organised by SHRC.

¿Qué pasos se han dado para desarrollar nuevos mecanismos de reparación judiciales o administrativos o para limitar los obstáculos que presentan actualmente los mecanismos de reparación para las víctimas?

International Chamber of Commerce, Paris.

[Survey suggested the following remedies: Barriers addressed may include high cost of bringing claims, and lack of lawyers and other legal resources, such as legal aid from NGOs or legal barriers such as doctrines that do not allow victims to bring human rights claims against companies.]

Yes.

[Survey suggested the folliowing remedies: Steps taken may include measures to provide legal aid, to allow group claims or class actions, and to increase resources for prosecutors.]

Yes.

Amicable settlement.

¿Qué pasos se han dado para desarrollar mecanismos extrajudiciales, mejorar los mecanismos actuales, y reducir los obstáculos para las víctimas?

Labour Court, Amnesty International, Human Rights Commission.

Para las empresas que tengan casa matriz en su país o sus subsidiarias ¿su gobierno ha dado pasos para mejorar la rendición de cuentas sobre el impacto en derechos humanos en el exterior? 

Compulsory application of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Article L95 of the 2015 Draft Mining Code Bill on respect for and the protection of Human Rights.

Question not applicable.

Indique hasta qué punto cada uno de los siguientes factores le impide a su gobierno emprender acciones en temas de empresas y derechos humanos.

Most important factors:

  • Lack of resources for enforcement, monitoring and prosecution
  • Opposition or lack of consensus within government
  • Political limitations imposed by foreign governments or multilateral institutions
  • Challenges of coordinating across government departments

Significant factor:

  • Other opposition by influential people or groups outside government

Minor factors:

  • Concern about deterring foreign investment
  • Lack of understanding or awareness of business & human rights in government

Not a factor:

  • Opposition by economic interest groups or business associations

¿Qué tipo de apoyo, si lo hay, su gobierno acogería con agrado como apoyo a sus acciones para mejorar el impacto que tienen las empresas sobre los derechos humanos?

[Survey suggested: Forms of support may include capacity-building, training, technical assistance, sharing knowledge, and collaborative learning with peer countries.]

Yes.

Por favor, comparta con nosotros cualquier comentario adicional, incluyendo ideas sobre formas de colaboración futuras y aprendizaje compartido para promover el tema de las empresas y los derechos humanos.

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