As the world prepares to mark International Human Rights Day on Tuesday, the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition, OWORAC, Public Services International, PSI, and Corporate Accountability have condemned what they describe as an escalating wave of repression in Senegal’s water sector, targeting union leaders and workers.
In a statement issued today, the organisations accused the management of the Senegalese water company, SEN’EAU, of sustained intimidation against Comrade Oumar BA, General Secretary of the Autonomous Union of Water Workers of Senegal, SATES and a member of the coalition.
They alleged that the actions amount to a violation of fundamental labour rights and international conventions on trade union freedoms.
OWORAC, PSI, and Corporate Accountability therefore called on SEN’EAU and the Senegalese authorities to immediately stop all punitive measures against the union leader and to respect legitimate union representation.
The coalition explained that the latest development followed Comrade BA’s objection to the company’s attempt to negotiate a multi-year agreement with three unions, while excluding SATES. SATES is challenging the process in court, insisting that a digital voting exercise used in the election of company union representatives was illegal, lacked transparency, and contravened Senegalese labour legislation.
“For simply refusing to accept these irregularities, Comrade BA now faces illegitimate sanctions,” the statement noted.
The organisations further alleged that SEN’EAU is effectively controlled by French multinational water corporation, Suez, “which contributes to a huge power imbalance between workers and management.”
The organisations linked the development to the global theme of International Human Rights Day 2025—Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials, stressing that water access remains one of the most fundamental rights. “A day dedicated to everyday essentials cannot be meaningfully observed where workers are punished for exercising the very rights the day is meant to honour,” they argued.
They warned that the situation exposed the vulnerability of human rights when essential public services were controlled by private interests with limited accountability.
The coalition also revealed that Comrade BA embarked on a hunger strike on November 28 following what it called years of harassment by the company. It stated that his situation reflected wider frustration within SEN’EAU and growing fears that workers’ rights and safety were being compromised.
According to the statement, the internal crisis is consistent with public complaints of poor water services, rising costs, and distrust under the privatised water regime, not only in Dakar but also in other privately-run water facilities across the country.
OWORAC and its partners noted that the expiration of major rural water contracts in 2027 and 2028 offered Senegal an opportunity to “recalibrate its water governance” towards accountability and community-centred decision-making.
The organisations reaffirmed their solidarity with SATES and with all water workers in Senegal “who refuse to surrender their rights to processes designed to suppress democratic participation.”
They urged Senegal to immediately end all disciplinary actions against Comrade BA, withdraw threats and intimidation against water workers and cancel the disputed digital election
They insisted that any new procedures must comply with Senegalese labour laws and guarantee transparent dialogue with legitimately elected representatives, including SATES.
The statement also demanded medical attention and improved protection for Comrade BA, stressing that his health had become “a matter of national and moral concern” as the crisis deepened.