ADHA Calls on Sénégal Government to Prevent Public Backlash Over Organised Begging

• The Sénégal government is facing calls from ADHA to prevent a public backlash against organised begging.
• 1,053 Nigerien nationals were repatriated from Dakar in March 2022 due to the issue.
• Foreigners accounted for 60.24% of those affected by operations against mendicité in 2025.
• ADHA demands precise identification of victims and perpetrators under Sénégal's human trafficking law.

The organisation advocates for a coordinated response between the government, local authorities, and civil society to address this issue effectively.

The Sénégal government is facing calls from the Action for Human Rights and Friendship (ADHA) to prevent a public backlash against organised begging. The phenomenon has been ongoing, with operations against mendicité se poursuivent in several urban spaces, including Dakar. In a statement dated August 16, 2026, ADHA demanded a social, judicial, and security response from the government. The issue had previously led to the repatriation of 1,053 Nigerien nationals, including 478 children, from Dakar in March 2022. In 2025, the National Police reported evacuating 1,225 people from unauthorised mendicité sites and liberating 308 locations. Foreigners accounted for 60.24% of those affected according to these data.

The Sénégal government is bound by the country's human trafficking law, which was enacted in 2005 and specifically prohibits exploitation of mendicité d'autrui, traite des personnes, and trafic de migrants. ADHA has pointed out that this law is being ignored, with victims still being exploited and perpetrators going unpunished. The organisation demands a precise identification of victims, authors, and networks, as well as social support for vulnerable individuals and prosecution of exploiters.

ADHA warns that the public backlash against organised begging could escalate into stigmatisation, violence, and private justice against migrants and human trafficking victims in Sénégal. The organisation advocates for a coordinated response between the government, local authorities, and civil society to address this issue effectively. This includes publishing a detailed report on operations, separating victims from perpetrators, and creating a permanent system to identify and protect potential victims.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for the potential escalation of stigmatisation, violence, and private justice against migrants and human trafficking victims in Sénégal, and advise clients to advocate for a coordinated response between the government, local authorities, and civil society.

Source: Original reporting via lactuacho