Human Rights Watch Presses Senegal on Forgotten Flood Victims

HRW calls on Senegal to resolve decade-long displacement for 1,000 flood victims omitted from housing plans.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is pressing the Senegalese government to deliver permanent housing and legal stability for nearly 1,000 citizens still in temporary shelters in Khar Yalla—more than a decade after catastrophic coastal floods displaced families from Saint-Louis’ Langue de Barbarie peninsula.

• In late 2016, displaced residents received temporary occupation permits after being moved to Khar Yalla, but substantive solutions are still pending.
• Government relocation efforts under the Saint-Louis Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (SERRP) plan to resettle 11,000 people inland, targeting those in high-risk zones—but Khar Yalla residents have not been included.
• As of March 2026, infrastructure remains dire in Khar Yalla: only about a dozen of 68 households have electricity, with costs out of reach for most.

HRW’s Erica Bower describes decade-long uncertainty for Khar Yalla families as "an unacceptable reality for families already traumatized by climate displacement." She calls for permanent permits to regularize tenure, underscoring the government’s obligation to provide at least "the bare minimum" for dignity and security.

Fatoumata Kine Mbodji of Lumière Synergie pour le Développement adds that displaced communities must have "a seat at the table as any laws and policies about their lived experiences are developed," highlighting shortcomings in participatory legal processes.

This case illustrates a critical gap: while Senegal has made policy moves for new waves of climate-displaced residents under SERRP, earlier victims remain overlooked. The lack of inclusion and legal finality for Khar Yalla families raises compliance concerns under international human rights standards and sets a precedent for legal advocacy in climate displacement.

Yes, but: The government’s flagship SERRP project demonstrates intent to address climate displacement, but does not retroactively solve the plight of older victims in Khar Yalla.