United Nations CEDAW/C/MRT/4

Convention on the Elimination Distr.: General

of All Forms of Discrimination 11 December 2020
English
against Women Original: French
English, French and Spanish only

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination

against Women

Fourth periodic report submitted by Mauritania under

article 18 of the Convention, due in 2018*
[Date received: 14 August 2020]

* The present document is being issued without formal editing.

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I. Introduction
1. The present report is the fourth periodic report of Mauritania on the
implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women; it covers the period from 2014 to 2018. The report
contains responses to the Committee’s concluding observations on the combined
second and third periodic reports of Mauritania (CEDAW/C/MRT/CO/2-3), which
were submitted, in a single document, for the Committee’s consideration at its
1221st and 1222nd meetings, held on 3 July 2014 (CEDAW/C/SR.1221 and
CEDAW/C/SR.1222). The report also contains information on the progress made
and results achieved in the implementation of the Convention during the 2014–2018
period.
2. The Government notes with regret the late submission of the present periodic
report, which was due in July 2018.
3. The report, which is being submitted under article 18 of the Convention, has
been prepared in accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines.
4. It focuses on the measures taken by Mauritania to carry out the
recommendations made by the Committee in response to its second and third
periodic reports, and to implement the Convention.
5. The present report attests to the commitment of Mauritania to fulfilling its
human rights treaty obligations, and, in particular, to implementing the Convention.
6. The Government of Mauritania assures the Committee that it is fully prepared
to engage with it in a constructive and continuous dialogue on the implementation
of the Convention.
7. The Government also reiterates its commitment to respecting, promoting and
protecting human rights in general, including the rights of women.

II. Information on measures taken in follow-up to the

concluding observations adopted by the Committee in 2014,
in response to the combined report of Mauritania
Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 9
8. As a Muslim country, Mauritania has entered specific reservations to articles
13 and 16 of the Convention because they are incompatible with Islamic sharia, the
sole source of law under the Constitution. However, Mauritania remains deeply
committed to the spirit and letter of all articles of the Convention that are
compatible with Islamic sharia.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 11 (a)

9. To implement this recommendation, the Government carried out a number of
campaigns to raise awareness of the Convention, in particular in the poorest and
most remote rural communes (specifically, those located on the border with Mali
and along the Senegal River, in an extremely poor area known as the Triangle de
l’Espoir). It:
• Participated in public and private media events (debate shows, national fairs
and exhibitions);

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• Organized caravans each year on International Women’s Day, 8 March;

• Participated in the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
campaign, beginning on 25 November;
• Developed and is currently implementing a strategic plan to combat domestic
violence;
• Organized two large caravans in a number of wilayahs of the country to raise
awareness of domestic violence;
• Produced, with the active involvement of local and community associations, a
toolkit comprising a broad range of communications materials;
• Formulated and disseminated religious arguments against domestic violence.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 11 (b)

10. The Government published the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women in a special edition of the Official Gazette, No. 1326
bis of 9 December 2014.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 11 (c)

11. As part of their academic and professional training, lawyers, judges,
prosecutors and other law enforcement officials complete a module focusing on
human rights, including the status of the Convention in the domestic legal order.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 13 (a)

12. Act No. 2018-023, which criminalizes discrimination, defines discrimination,
in all its forms, as any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference which has or
may have the purpose or effect of nullifying, impairing or limiting the recognition,
enjoyment or exercise, on the basis of equality, of human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
13. This definition fully incorporates the definition set forth in the Convention.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 13 (b)

14. With regard to the establishment of a national women’s rights observatory, two
consultants have been recruited, with the support of the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights, to conduct a study on the model national
observatory for the promotion of women’s rights and the suppression of gender-
based violence, to review laws and regulations relating to women’s participation, to
determine the responsibilities, functions and potential composition of the
observatory and to develop a draft decree on its establishment.
15. The findings of the study were presented at a workshop attended by all
relevant actors (public authorities, civil society, trade unions, members of
parliament, resource persons), whose observations and comments were incorporated
into the study. The report of the workshop was then transmitted to the Ministry for
the Advancement of Women, which subsequently initiated the procedure for the
adoption, by the Council of Ministers, of the draft decree on the establishment of
the observatory.
16. The bill on combating violence against women and girls, which has been
approved by the Council of Ministers, provides for the establishment of an

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appropriate monitoring entity for the early detection of violence against women and
girls in family, school, university and professional contexts.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 17 (b)

17. Justice is easily accessible to anyone who claims to have been, or who feels
that he or she has been, harmed by a particular act, or who considers that his or her
rights have been unjustifiably violated. The provisions of the Convention, which are
binding on the country, may be invoked in judicial proceedings at all levels arising
from any violation, under the conditions and in the forms provided for by law.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 17 (c)

18. Training on access to justice and on human rights, including women’s rights, is
now an integral part of the curricula of the National School of Administration,
Journalism and the Judiciary, which provides pre-service and in-service training for
members of the judiciary. Human rights are taught in law courses in faculties of law
and economics at universities. A specific master’s degree in human rights has been
established at the University of Nouakchott. Every year since 2013, in order to
promote a culture of human rights, an international moot court competition focusing
on human rights has been held in Nouakchott by the Mauritanian Bar Association, in
partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the Embassy of France in Mauritania.
Some of these competitions have been broadcast live by independent media outlets.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 19 (a)

19. Half of the budget of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Children and the Family is
allocated to the advancement of women and gender equality, steering, monitoring
and evaluation of policies, implementation of capacity-building and economic
empowerment programmes for women, combating gender-based violence, and
mainstreaming of gender in the country’s development policies. A number of
development projects and programmes that are currently being implemented include
gender dimensions. The Government is also taking gender into consideration in its
efforts to mobilize funding for the implementation of the Strategy for Accelerated
Growth and Shared Prosperity. In addition, the Priority Investment Programme for
the next five years, which is currently being developed, includes a gender
dimension.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 19 (b)

20. A national gender mainstreaming strategy was adopted by the Government on
5 March 2015. The strategy has enabled the mainstreaming of gender into national
policies and programmes, in particular the Strategy for Accelerated Growth and
Shared Prosperity (2016–2030); the monitoring and evaluation system for that
Strategy is gender-sensitive.
21. The Government has established mechanisms for steering and monitoring the
gender strategy, including the interministerial committee for gender mainstreaming,
chaired by the Prime Minister, and sectoral units focusing on the promotion of
gender-sensitivity within ministerial departments. Gender mainstreaming at the
sectoral level is already helping the Government to prepare gender-sensitive
budgets. Ministries not represented on the interministerial committee are currently
mainstreaming gender at the institutional level by increasing the participation of
women in relevant bodies, programmes and projects.

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Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 23 (a)

22. The departments responsible for the advancement of women and for public
television broadcasting have launched a weekly special programme entitled “Voice
of the Family”, which addresses issues relating to family stability, the well-being of
women and children and the protection of their rights, the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the
Rights of the Child and the Personal Status Code.
23. Programmes on the above-mentioned topics have also been broadcast by the
country’s vast network of local radio stations. Local associations and grass-roots
organizations are involved in awareness-raising campaigns and are provided with
appropriate support.
24. At the local level, campaigns have been implemented to educate the public and
community leaders on issues relating to the promotion of women’s participation in
rural and community settings, and to the involvement of women in decision-making
at the local level.
25. Media coverage of activities carried out by women with disabilities on the
achievements of government departments during the celebration of national
independence, as well as exhibitions and films focusing on the products of women
with disabilities have helped to strengthen the role of such women in society and to
reduce the discrimination they often face.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 25 (a)

26. Act No. 2017-025 of 15 November 2017 on reproductive health, which
criminalizes female genital mutilation, has been promulgated and is being broadly
disseminated among health-care personnel.
27. Under article 79 of Act No. 2018-024 of 21 June 2018 on the General Child
Protection Code, female genital mutilation is punished and classified as cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment, as follows: “Cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment includes harmful excision and all other similar practices performed on
girls, and negative customary, cultural and social practices affecting the physical
integrity, health or dignity of the child.” This removes any ambiguity with respect to
the understanding of genital mutilation and of negative customary, cultural and
social practices affecting the physical integrity, health or dignity of the child.
28. Article 12 of the Child Criminal Protection Code criminalizes and punishes
any causing of injury to the genital organs of a girl through infibulation,
anaesthetization or any other means that results in harm to the child. Heavier
penalties apply when the perpetrator of the act is a medical or paramedical
professional.
29. The bill on combating violence against women and girls, which has been
approved by the Council of Ministers, punishes female genital mutilation and all
other practices harmful to the health of women and girls.
30. A priority component relating to fistula repair and to the integration of women
with fistula into society through the development of income-generating activities
and the provision of material assistance has been included in the national
reproductive health programme.
31. The national health information system collects routine data on fistula cases.

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32. Female genital mutilation was included in the 2007, 2011 and 2015 multiple
indicator cluster surveys and in the demographic and health survey, which is
currently being finalized.
33. Health professionals have been pioneers in combating female genital
mutilation in Mauritania, and, as a result of their advocacy, religious leaders have
issued two fatwas (opinions of Muslim jurists), one national and one subregional,
calling for the prohibition of female genital mutilation. A number of awareness-
raising workshops have been held for health-care personnel.
34. In recent years, Mauritania has strengthened its commitment to the promotion
and protection of women’s rights. As part of its efforts to combat violence against
women, in particular female genital mutilation, the Government has taken
significant measures, including:
• Establishment of the National Committee against Gender-based Violence,
including Female Genital Mutilation;
• Establishment of regional committees against gender-based violence,
including female genital mutilation;
• Establishment of a network of non-governmental organizations which
specialize in combating female genital mutilation;
• Implementation of standard operating procedures for combating and
responding to violence against women, and for ensuring comprehensive
support for survivors of gender-based violence;
• Development and approval of the framework bill on violence against women
and girls (including female genital mutilation, sexual, domestic and
psychological violence), which is being considered by parliament for adoption;
• Provision of training on the prevention of female genital mutilation to 180
imams in wilayahs where the practice is very widespread;
• Implementation of an action plan to encourage the voluntary discontinuation
of female genital mutilation in regions where the practice is very widespread;
• Issuance, through public and private media, of a fatwa calling for the
prohibition of female genital mutilation;
• Development of a national action plan on gender-based violence in Mauritania
for 2014–2018, which has resulted in a comprehensive understanding and
more effective management of gender-based violence;
• Scaling up of regional units and committees for handling and resolving family
disputes;
• Observance of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital
Mutilation;
• Development of materials (booklets, brochures, films, modules, etc.) on
female genital mutilation;
• Development of a strategy for the discontinuation of female genital mutilation,
accompanied by a five-year plan;
• Implementation of awareness-raising campaigns against harmful practices,
including female genital mutilation and child marriage;

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• Preparation of harmonized training modules on combating female genital

mutilation including cultural arguments;
• The prevalence of female genital mutilation has declined by four points,
according to the 2015 multiple indicator cluster survey.
35. More than 1,600 women’s cooperatives bringing together women practitioners
of female genital mutilation throughout the country, in particular in areas where the
practice is very widespread, have received funding for income-generating activities.
36. The strategic needs of rural women are given priority in development projects
in rural areas, and special attention is given to poor households headed by women.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 27 (a)

37. The bill on combating violence against women and girls has been approved by
the Council of Ministers and has been tabled in parliament for adoption. The bill
covers various forms of violence against women and girls, including physical,
psychological and sexual violence.
38. A national strategy to combat violence against women was adopted in
December 2019 and is currently being implemented.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 27 (b)

39. Rape is criminalized and severely punished under article 309 of the Criminal
Code and under article 24 of the Child Protection Code. There is a particular focus
on rape in criminal policy, including the guidelines, instructions and circulars of the
Public Prosecutor’s Office. Perpetrators of rape are arrested, prosecuted and tried in
accordance with the law, and are ineligible for sentence adjustment (conditional
release and presidential pardon).
40. The bill on combating violence against women and girls defines rape, sexual
harassment, incest and all other forms of physical and psychological violence,
including domestic violence, and classifies them as serious offences punishable by
appropriate penalties in accordance with international norms.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 27 (c)

41. Women who are victims of rape are not prosecuted for adultery. All persons of
legal age, whether men or women, who engage in consensual sexual relations
outside marriage are guilty of a criminal offence and, therefore, are subject to
prosecution and punishment.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 27 (d)

42. All criminal cases, including cases of violence against women, are received by
and registered with the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Special attention is paid, in law
and in practice, to the handling of such cases, in accordance with due process.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 27 (e)

43. Listening centres and shelters run by civil society organizations such as
Association “Paix” pour la lutte contre la contrainte et l’injustice, Association des
Femmes Chefs de Famille and Association mauritanienne pour la santé de la mère et
de l’enfant provide assistance to women who are victims of violence in all settings,

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without distinction. This assistance generally consists of listening, building trust and
providing support and care.
44. The bill on combating violence against women and girls covers all matters
related to protection and assistance. Accordingly, women and girls who are victims
of violence receive assistance tailored to their individual situations, including
comprehensive information, psychological and psychiatric care, social support,
health care, judicial police services, follow-up to legal and administrative claims
and easy access to shelters.
45. Administrative remedies (the National Commission of Human Rights, the
Ministry of Social Affairs, Children and the Family and the High Council for Fatwa
and Informal Appeals) and judicial remedies (lawsuits) are available and accessible
to all victims without distinction.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 29

46. In article 1 of Act No. 2003-025 of 17 July 2003 on the suppression of
trafficking in persons, trafficking in persons is defined as “the recruitment, transport
and transfer of persons by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of
coercion, of abduction, of deception, of the abuse of authority or of a position of
vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payment or benefits to achieve the
consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of
exploitation”. Article 1 also indicates that “exploitation shall include, at a minimum,
unpaid labour, forced labour or services and similar practices, the removal of organs
for profit, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual
exploitation”.
47. Under Act No. 2003-025, trafficking in persons is classified as a serious crime
and perpetrators and accomplices are appropriately punished.
48. The bill on the prevention and punishment of trafficking in persons and on the
protection of victims, which repeals and replaces Act No. 2003-025 of 17 July 2003,
contains provisions related to criminal liability, prevention, support for and
protection of victims of trafficking, and cooperation and partnership mechanisms.
49. Legal aid for victims of migrant smuggling, who are particularly vulnerable,
including child victims, is provided for under Act No. 2010-021 of 10 February
2010 on combating the smuggling of migrants, which stipulates that a public
defender must be appointed to represent victims of that crime.
50. In 2019, the Commission for Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs and
Relations with Civil Society conducted a study on the phenomenon of trafficking in
Mauritania, which revealed that Mauritania is increasingly becoming a country of
transit and destination.
51. The national action plan on combating trafficking in persons (2020–2022) has
been adopted, following broad consultations and discussions with the ministerial
departments concerned, technical and financial partners, and international
organizations. The action plan is designed to provide public authorities with an
integrated planning tool to effectively and sustainably combat trafficking, punish
perpetrators and identify, protect and assist victims and witnesses.
52. The action plan, which is aligned with national strategies, including the
Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity, the National Strategy for
Access to Justice, the National Strategy for Migration Management and the National
Strategy for the Protection of Children, has the following objectives:

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1. Preventing trafficking in persons through awareness-raising;

2. Documenting the phenomenon of trafficking;
3. Building the capacities of relevant actors;
4. Improving the legal framework on trafficking;
5. Strengthening the judicial repression of trafficking;
6. Protecting victims and witnesses of trafficking;
7. Assisting victims of trafficking by ensuring their social
reintegration and/or voluntary return;
8. Coordinating national efforts to combat trafficking;
9. Promoting regional and international cooperation on combating
trafficking.
53. International cooperation in criminal matters is essential to combating
trafficking in persons, owing to the transnational nature of the crime. Such
cooperation includes:
• Exchange of information regarding trafficking networks and other organized
crime groups;
• Mutual assistance in criminal matters;
• Collaboration between relevant bodies;
• Sharing of experiences with regard to the methods of operation of organized
crime groups;
• Ensuring the voluntary return of victims of trafficking to their countries of
origin.
54. As a country of transit and destination, Mauritania has engaged in effective
judicial cooperation at the subregional level (with the Economic Community of
West African States) and at the international level (with Spain).

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 31

55. Since the 2007 elections, the Government has been implementing a
programme to promote women’s political participation. The programme is funded
under the national budget and is also supported by technical and financial partners,
in particular the United Nations Development Programme.
56. Prior to the 2013 and 2018 National Assembly and municipal council
elections, training sessions were held throughout the country in order to build the
capacities of female candidates at the national and local levels.
57. The results of the 2018 legislative and municipal elections are set out in the
table below:

Table 1
Results of the 2018 municipal and legislative elections
Number of Men as a Women as a
Elective position officials elected percentage of total percentage of total

Municipal councillor 3 831 63.87 36.13

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Number of Men as a Women as a

Elective position officials elected percentage of total percentage of total

Regional councillor 285 64.56 35.44

National Assembly member elected at
the departmental level 113 93.81 6.19
National Assembly member elected from
the national list of candidates 20 85 15
National Assembly member elected from
the national list of female candidates 20 0 100

Total 4 269 64.51 35.49

Source: National Independent Electoral Commission, Legislative, regional and municipal

elections, 2018.

58. According to the National Independent Electoral Commission, the overall rate
of representation of women in political positions in 2018 was 35.5 per cent.
59. The quota system for the appointment of women to the Cabinet, foreign
service positions and the judiciary is not systematized. Nevertheless, as a result of
political will, women have, over the past five years, held an average of 6 of the 27
Cabinet positions. In addition, a number of women have been appointed
ambassadors, and positions of responsibility within the judiciary are open to women
without discrimination.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 33

60. Under article 6 of Act No. 61-112 on the Nationality Code, provisions relating
to nationality contained in duly ratified and published international treaties and
agreements are applicable, even if they run counter to Mauritanian law.
61. However, the Code’s provisions relating to the transmission of Mauritanian
nationality to children and spouses are not discriminatory.
62. There is no discrimination concerning the transmission of Mauritanian
nationality to husbands by marriage. Part III, chapter 2, of amended Act No. 61-112,
entitled “Acquisition of nationality by marriage”, has been repealed and replaced by
chapter 3, which is entitled “Naturalization” (article 2 of Act No. 2010-023 of
11 February 2010). This chapter now applies to the acquisition of Mauritanian
nationality by marriage, without making any distinction between men and women.
63. With regard to children born abroad, article 9 of Act No. 61-112 has been
repealed (article 1 of Act No. 2010-023 of 11 February 2010). There are three
possibilities for the acquisition of Mauritanian nationality at birth: (1) being born to
a Mauritanian father; (2) being born to a Mauritanian mother and a father without a
nationality or of unknown nationality; (3) being born in Mauritania to a Mauritanian
mother and a father of foreign nationality. This provision is in no way
discriminatory. As Mauritanian law does not recognize dual nationality and makes
no distinction on the basis of the child-parent relationship (paternal or maternal), the
transmission of nationality to the child depends on the child’s place of birth and the
parent’s nationality of origin. A child born abroad to a Mauritanian mother and a
father of foreign nationality may opt for Mauritanian nationality (new article 13 of
Act No. 2010-023). Similarly, a child born in Mauritania to a Mauritanian mother
and a father of foreign nationality may renounce his or her Mauritanian nationality
(article 8 of Act No. 61-112). In both cases, a choice is required because dual

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nationality is not recognized under Mauritanian law. In any case, if one of the
parents is stateless or of unknown nationality, the child is automatically Mauritanian
(article 8 of Act No. 61-112). It follows that, in the case of mixed couples, the ability
of a child born abroad to opt for Mauritanian citizenship is merely a reflection of
the ability of a child born in Mauritania to renounce it.
64. Any minor whose mother or father acquires Mauritanian nationality
automatically becomes Mauritanian, like his or her parent (article 15 of Act
No. 2010-023).

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 35

65. The Government has implemented a national education strategy whose main
objective is to ensure that all Mauritanian children, without distinction of any kind,
receive a complete and high-quality education. The priorities identified under the
strategy are as follows:
• Improvement of educational opportunities through the reorganization of
schools;
• Elimination, in all wilayahs, of disparities between male and female students
and between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds;
• Improvement of the quality of teaching;
• Strengthening of the management of the system through the introduction of a
results-based management approach.
66. The following measures have been taken to promote the enrolment of girls in
school:
• Urbanization of rural populations through the establishment of village clusters
(Nbeiket el Ahouach, Oum Sfeya, Termesse, Bourat, Saboualla and
Boulahrath);
• Establishment of a proactive policy that has made the education of girls a
priority and reduced the disparities between girls and boys and between
students from rural and urban areas;
• Significant increase in the budget for education;
• Expansion of the network of primary schools, including in rural areas;
• Bringing schools closer to families;
• Increase in the number of teachers and improvement in their level of
qualifications.
67. Pilot projects focusing on the education of girls in remote areas include a
number of measures to attract and retain girls in school, including:
• Introduction of nutrition programmes (school cafeterias);
• Installation of latrines, running water and bathroom facilities specifically for
girls;
• Provision of school buses for female students in rural areas;
• Establishment of priority education zones in rural areas;
• Implementation of campaigns against child marriage;

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• Granting of cash transfers to poor families, provided they send their children
to school.
68. Under the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend project,
support has been provided for the education of girls from rural areas, including:
• Granting of monthly scholarships to nearly 2,400 vulnerable girls;
• Provision of 12 buses for the transportation of girls to school during the school
year for nominal fees;
• Tutoring in core academic subjects for female national-exam candidates;
• Establishment of cybercafés in schools, with free access for female students;
• Creation of welcoming spaces to enable girls between 16 and 25 years of age
to develop the skills to make informed choices and improve their immediate
circumstances (health, hygiene, environment);
• Distribution of brochures in the core subjects for the final year of junior high
school and for the final year of high school for the natural sciences track are
distributed to girls attending schools located in wilayahs targeted by the
project.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 37

69. The global issue of unemployment is given top priority by the Government.
Particular emphasis is placed on young people and women under the Government’s
proactive, gender-based policy.
70. The Government has adopted an ambitious national employment strategy that
has a strong focus on women’s employment with the goal of ensuring decent work
for women.
71. In Mauritania, all employers are contractually bound to provide their
employees with social security coverage within eight days of their hiring (Act No.
67-039 of 3 February 1967).
72. An actuarial study to improve and extend the coverage of the social security
scheme to a greater number of beneficiaries is being carried out with the assistance
of the International Labour Office.
73. Combating sexual harassment in the workplace is a global concern. Although
the phenomenon is not widespread in our country, for cultural and religious reasons,
consideration will be given to setting up a mechanism to combat it as a preventive
measure.
74. Women domestic workers have free access to law enforcement structures and
full freedom to file complaints. Labour inspectorate complaint mechanisms are
simple, accessible and free of charge.
75. Mauritania has ratified all the International Labour Organization core
conventions and incorporated them into its domestic laws. Upon adoption by the
Organization of the important Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), the
Government introduced regulations (order No. 797 of 18 August 2011) on domestic
work and will support ratification of the Convention.
76. Labour inspectorates have been established throughout the country, with the
main task of ensuring the rigorous application of labour laws.

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Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 39

77. The Government is pursuing a reproductive health strategy that includes
elements such as the availability of essential and emergency basic obstetric care, the
presence of skilled birth attendants, access to prenatal care for pregnant women,
preparedness for complications at childbirth, availability of contraceptives,
infertility treatment, combating female genital mutilation, screening for and
treatment of cervical cancer, prevention of mother-child transmission of AIDS,
treatment of obstetric fistulas and neonatal care.
78. The reproductive health strategy includes building capacity and upgrading
health facilities. This has taken the form of outfitting several health facilities with
medical and surgical equipment (e.g., a second operating theatre for the Sebkha
health centre, the inpatient facility for women with obstetric fistulas in Nouakchott,
the Guérou health centre in Assaba and other health facilities in the wilayah of
Gorgol); hospitals (Cheikh Zayed, regional hospitals in Kiffa and Kaédi), enabling
them to provide full emergency obstetric care; funding the construction of an
independent operating theatre for the maternity unit and a ward block at Cheikh
Zayed Hospital; the purchase of theatre equipment; making ambulances available to
health facilities (access to emergency obstetric care); training in operational
research (health staff in Assaba); the availability of contraceptives in health
facilities and the availability of new methods, and availability of condoms in the
context of preventing sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS by involving
civil society (national and international non-governmental organizations).
79. Regarding staff training, the national reproductive health programme has
trained doctors, gynaecologists, paediatricians, midwives and anaesthetists in
reproductive health service techniques, including emergency obstetric and neonatal
care and training head nurses and auxiliary midwives in essential obstetric care.
This has facilitated family planning and use of new techniques, the treatment of
obstetric fistulas and training in reproductive health management programmes that
apply the set fee for obstetric care.
80. Regarding advocacy, the National Reproductive Health Project has done the
following: advocacy addressed to decision makers, opinion shapers (local elected
representatives, community and religious leaders) and development partners; and
awareness-raising and information, education and communication to change
behaviour geared towards communities and users of reproductive health services.
81. Through programmes and projects, in particular the National Reproductive
Health Programme, the Ministry of Health has established a national reproductive
health strategy that has family planning at its core.
82. It includes the following aspects:
• The Strategic Plan to Secure Reproductive Health Products;
• The availability of family planning products in health facilities;
• Free, community-based distribution of contraceptives (condoms, pills, etc.)
with the support of civil society organizations.
83. A line was included in the State budget in 2019 to secure reproductive health
products, especially contraceptives. The United Nations Population Fund also
continues to ensure the availability of free contraceptives.
84. Act No. 2017-025 of 15 November 2017, the Reproductive Health Act, and its
implementing instruments, have been adopted.

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85. The National Health Information System, which has been collecting the bulk
of reproductive health data since 1998, compiles and ensures such data are reliable
and complete.

Replies to the issues raised in paragraphs 41 and 43

86. The Government is implementing several economic programmes to finance
women’s economic development in both urban and rural areas, including the
following:
• Women’s savings and loan groups: three groups, two in Hodh El Gharbi
(Ayoun and Tintane) and one in Nouakchott;
• Women’s banks of Gorgol: five banks (Kaédi, Mbout, Monguel, Maghama and
the regional union of women’s banks);
• Seventeen microfinance institutions in disadvantaged rural and peri-urban
areas, serving nearly 90,000 women (individuals or members of cooperatives).
Their funding capacity has remained limited, with only 223 million ouguiyas
(UM) in loans distributed. The funds of these 17 savings and loan institutions
come from endogenous resources raised from women and resources granted by
the State and its development partners, in particular the United Nations
Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Oxford
Famine Relief Organization (Oxfam).
87. Agencies in the financial sector that contribute to the promotion of women’s
economic activities also include the Agency for the Promotion of Savings and Loan
Associations. According to the annual report of the Central Bank, this sector has 99
institutions, including 51 savings and loans and 20 savings and livestock-raising
loan institutions. The savings and loan associations and the National Union of
Agricultural Savings and Loan Associations of Mauritania are the main networks in
terms of volume of activity and national coverage. Approved microfinance
institutions have a total of 207,000 clients, including 164,000 for the Agency for the
Promotion of Savings and Loan Associations network and 25,000 for the National
Union of Agricultural Savings and Loan Associations of Mauritania network.
Women’s participation in the sector is estimated at 70 per cent. There are also
dozens of informal actors in the sector, including rotating savings and loan
associations at the neighbourhood and village levels.
88. Information from the Ministry of Employment shows that the microfinance
sector is characterized by short- and medium-term loans (3 to 36 months); the
financing of income-generating activities (more than 15 per cent of loans),
agriculture (more than 80 per cent), fishing and housing; relatively small loans (MU
10,000 to MU 2,000,000); a high concentration of institutions in urban areas (more
than 70 per cent of microfinance institutions are urban and although some serve
rural borrowers, urban savings and loan associations account for 52 per cent of
approved microfinance institutions); weak links to traditional banks and fewer loans
compared to banks (6 per cent).
89. In 10 years, the number of customers has increased 15-fold, which shows the
vitality of the sector despite its relative youth. This increase is also in line with the
need for financial services among the poor, who represent more than 40 per cent of
the population.
90. The Deposit and Development Fund also contributes to the economic
empowerment of women. This public financial institution makes short-, medium-

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and long-term investments. It is also responsible for managing projects or funds and
can transfer some of its activities to subsidiaries. It was created to address the
continuing structural challenges facing the country’s economy, which required the
establishment of an independent institution with good governance and broad
management autonomy; significant financial, operational and human resources; and
assistance from external partners. It completes the national financial landscape
through its position as a player in the financing of medium- and long-term projects
and as a bank managing funds for public institutions.
91. Its activities cover a fairly broad spectrum, ranging from the financing of very
small enterprises to support for government sectoral policies in several areas,
including agriculture, housing, industry, services and the development of the
financial sector.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 45

92. The eradication of contemporary forms of slavery and their consequences is a
priority for the Government. As a result, a road map was adopted on 6 March 2014
for the eradication of the consequences of slavery and contemporary forms of
slavery. The road map, developed with the participation of the government
departments involved in combating the consequences of slavery and with civil
society, has been approved by the country’s technical and financial partners and
endorsed by the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery.
93. The road map comprises 29 recommendations related to legislation, economic
and social matters, and the awareness-raising needed to eradicate the consequences
of slavery.
94. An interministerial committee was established, chaired by the Prime Minister,
with a brief to implement the recommendations of the road map. In addition, a
technical follow-up commission was formed, comprising representatives of
ministries and civil society organizations, and the National Human Rights
Commission, as an observer.
95. An action plan for implementation of the road map was adopted on
30 September 2014 and the following main steps have been taken:
• The adoption of Act No. 2015-031 of 10 September 2015, superseding Act
No. 048/2007 criminalizing slavery and punishing slavery-like practices,
which grants non-governmental organizations the right to intervene as a third
party in court proceedings;
• The observance on 6 March each year of the national day to address the
consequences of slavery;
• The introduction of a cash-transfer programme to boost school enrolment for
school-age children from families living in poverty and/or affected by the
consequences of slavery;
• The implementation of a plan of action to combat child labour;
• The development of educational infrastructure such as schools and school
canteens in education priority zones;
• The organization of campaigns to raise awareness of the unacceptability of
slavery;

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• The organization of workshops for civil society organizations and the media
on anti-slavery legislation;
• The promulgation by the Association of Ulamas (religious leaders) of a fatwa
on the illegitimacy of the practice of slavery;
• The implementation of income-generating projects for persons affected by the
consequences of slavery and poverty;
• The establishment of the national Tadamoun agency to combat the
consequences of slavery and poverty and promote integration.
96. Three evaluations of the road map were conducted in partnership with the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mauritania: a
mid-term evaluation in 2015; one in the context of the Special Rapporteur’s visit in
April 2017; and a final one conducted in December 2017.
97. During the final evaluation seminar, objective and clear indicators for each
activity included in the road map implementation action plan were established and
validated and a matrix of indicators was completed.
98. The seminar enabled:
• Identification of relevant monitoring-evaluation indicators to help improve the
visibility, effects and impact of the implementation of the road map for
beneficiaries;
• Better knowledge for participants to be able to define appropriate indicators,
including in data collection and the measurement of indicators;
• Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the actions carried out, showing that
all the recommendations of the road map have been generally implemented.
99. The Government undertakes to continue awareness-raising activities and to
strictly implement all laws relating to the promotion and protection of human rights,
as well as socioeconomic programmes.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 47

100. The process of revising the Personal Status Code is under way. Amendments
are being put forward for a number of articles.
101. The amendments generally introduce the following reforms:
• Pregnancy time frame for the establishment of filiation; principle of shared
responsibilities for husbands and wives;
• An incapable girl can only be given away in marriage by her guardians with
prior authorization of a judge;
• Any person of legal age related by blood to an incapable person and civil
society organizations approved under the Code can bring legal proceedings
against a negligent guardian;
• Classification of marriage and heading of the family;
• Validity of marriage;
• Form of consent for women;
• Women’s management of their property;

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• Divorce at the initiative of the woman.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraphs 49 and 50

102. The Government has taken the gender dimension and equity into account in
the monitoring and evaluation system of the Strategy for Accelerated Growth and
Shared Prosperity, in order to combat gender-based inequalities.
103. In 2017, the Department for the Advancement of Women prepared the first
national report on the composite index of gender and development inequalities,
which highlights women’s social powers (capacities), economic powers (access to
opportunities) and political powers (power of action or participation). This index
addresses inequalities and the status of women in the country.
104. As a result, the report on the implementation of the Beijing +25 Platform for
Action was prepared and forwarded to UN-Women in 2019.

Reply to the issues raised in paragraph 51

105. The various concluding observations and recommendations are shared and
discussed at workshops, and the conclusions reached are then transmitted to the
competent authorities. This process has been followed for the concluding
observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women.

III. Implementation of the Convention

Articles 1–3
Elimination of discrimination
106. The 20 July 1992 Constitution, amended in 2012, 2016 and 2018, is based on
the principle of the equality of all citizens, regardless of gender.
107. The recognition of gender equality is therefore guaranteed under Act No. 2018-
023 on the criminalization of discrimination, in accordance with the Constitution
and the commitments of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania; this equality is
effective, both de jure and de facto.
108. This principle allows women to be parties to judicial proceedings and, where
appropriate, to benefit from legal and judicial assistance. Therefore, if they lack the
means to demand their rights, they are eligible to receive free legal advice or the
assistance of a lawyer or other judicial officer paid for by the Government.

Article 4
Temporary special measures to combat discrimination
109. The Constitution guarantees women civil, political, economic, social and
cultural rights.
110. Order No. 2006-029 of 22 August 2006 on women’s access to elected office
and elective positions ensures women’s political participation and representation by
setting aside a minimum quota of 20 per cent for them.
111. The 2012 Act gives women a national list of their own, of 20 deputies.
112. Mauritanian women are becoming key players in national political life; they
vote and are elected.

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Article 5
Modifying social and cultural patterns of conduct
113. The public and private media constantly deal with the advancement of women
and development and with their role in society; problems related to family,
motherhood and childhood, as well as the creation of conditions that enable women
to lead a fulfilling life, raise children, take care of their health and have leisure
activities. Educational programmes presenting Mauritanian legislation and the
norms of international law on the family, women, young people and children are
broadcast on national and private television channel channels.

Article 6
Combating the exploitation of women
114. Mauritania’s domestic legislation prohibits the exploitation of women. The
country observes norms of Islamic law that strictly punish the prostitution of
women, sex tourism, procuring, paedophilia and pornography. The Criminal Code,
the Act on trafficking in persons, the Act on smuggling of migrants and the
Children’s Code all serve to strengthen legislation that already severely punishes
exploitation of persons. Women and girls who are victims of female genital
mutilation are cared for in public health facilities, including the Mother and Child
Hospital Centre and in shelters opened by certain non-governmental organizations.

Article 10
Equal rights in education
115. The Mauritanian Government has put in place a national plan for the
development of the education sector. The plan’s main objectives include
consolidation of the achievements of the education system, correction of
dysfunction and effective support for the implementation of reform by translating its
policy directions into actions on the ground. The plan covers all components of
education, from early childhood to higher education.
116. Since 2014, the Government has been implementing a national strategy for the
development of education which has been of benefit to both boys and girls, and
which includes the following:

At the pre-school level:

• Expanding access to preschool education, particularly in rural areas and for
children from poor backgrounds;
• Developing parental education to meet the care needs of children under 3 years
of age;
• Improving the quality of the preschool education system;
• Improving the quality of learning.

At the primary education level:

• Strengthening and reorganizing educational offerings to better meet demand;
• Strengthening, restructuring and adapting initial teacher training to the
requirements of the reform, by: (i) creating five new primary school teacher
training colleges, (ii) renovating curricula, (iii) improving the qualifications of

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teachers, (iv) improving supervision at the level of demonstration schools and

(v) setting up a teacher certification and monitoring system;
• Developing and implementing a new, in-service teacher training strategy;
• Executing an intense programme of language retraining;
• Establishing a system of local supervision, in the form of inspection and
training units, in all communes;
• Strengthening teacher motivation, through increased performance-related
incentive allowances (classroom, hardship and bilingualism allowances);
• Improving the quality and availability of educational tools and teaching
materials (manuals, guides, etc.);
• Upgrading schools and improving their living environment, through the
implementation of a vast rehabilitation programme, the systematization of
access to drinking water and decent latrines and the promotion of school
health;
• Implementing a system of educational, cultural and sports activities through
the expansion of school libraries, the creation of clubs and the organization of
remedial classes;
• Implementing an effective strategy to ensure that school time is respected, and
a system to monitor student and teacher absenteeism;
• Updating the inventory of schools and implementing an ambitious programme
to merge non-standard schools;
• Reducing disparities linked to the environment and socioeconomic conditions,
through the implementation of targeted programmes to benefit wilayahs and
areas with poor educational indicators;
• Stimulating demand by increasing the number of users of school canteens (45
per cent of boarders in 2020) and improving the quality of their services;
• Providing non-formal, inclusive and adapted primary education, giving a new
chance to children who have never attended or who have dropped out of
school (9 to 14 years of age) to enter or return to formal education;
• Maintaining the involvement of the private sector in school offerings (11 per
cent).

General secondary education

117. General secondary education is being reformed with the aim of gradually
ensuring that all young people who have completed primary education have the
opportunity to complete lower secondary education; of facilitating access to upper
secondary education; and of creating the necessary conditions to better prepare the
young people who can do so to continue their studies in higher education, according
to their abilities, or to enter technical and vocational training schools.

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Technical and vocational training

118. The strategy for technical and vocational training aims to strengthen links with
the other levels of the education system and to make it more relevant to the needs of
the economy in terms of skills and qualifications. It consists of combining
traditional technical and vocational training with a system of targeted training,
geared towards integration, and will be based on two priorities: (i) improving the
quality of training, its relevance and its key role in the economy; and (ii) extending
the system’s training offerings.

Higher education
119. The promotion of quality higher education lies at the heart of the country’s
sustainable development strategy. In addition to its scientific role in the creation of
knowledge and its economic role in the training of high-level executives, higher
education is increasingly called upon to play a social and cultural role. The strategy
applied to this level of education will focus on:
• Reinforcing the relevance of training and research by adapting offerings to the
real needs of the country;
• Managing the workforce in such a way as to reconcile the pressures of social
demand, economic demand and funding constraints;
• Optimizing the use of available resources, prioritizing educational and
research spending;
• Diversifying funding sources by mobilizing contributions from students and
the private sector.
120. Several actions have been carried out in this regard related to both the
structural configuration of the higher education system and its institutional roots,
governance, organization and functioning. The merger of the University of
Nouakchott and the University of Science, Technology and Medicine into a single
institution (University of Nouakchott Al Asriya) brings it closer to international
standards.
121. Training in engineering has been improved with the creation of the Higher
Schools of Engineering Preparatory Institute and the restructuring of the Higher
Polytechnical School, through a merger of existing technical institutions,
consolidating the modernized system. The establishment of the Higher Institute of
Building, Public Works and Urban Development Trades in Aleg responds to the
need to train qualified technicians in this sector.
122. The Higher Institute of English has enriched the higher education system with
excellent training in English provided by British and Mauritanian instructors. This
institution provides a bachelor’s degree course accredited by the University of
Cambridge and continuing education open to all senior members of the armed and
security forces and the administration in general.
123. In terms of infrastructure, the university campus has been equipped with a
capacity of 2,540 beds. Construction work is continuing on the rest of the university
complex, the headquarters of the Higher Professional School of Languages,
Translation and Interpreting, in Nouadhibou, and the Higher Institute of Building,
Public Works and Urban Development Trades in Aleg.

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Article 11
Equal rights to employment and work
124. The working-age population consists of individuals of both sexes aged 14 to
65 who can participate in the production of goods and services as understood in
national accounting. Women of working age account for 57.5 per cent of this group.
125. The female unemployment rate is higher than that of men: 12.6 per cent
compared to 8.6 per cent. This is due mainly to the low level of access to education
by women and their lack of qualifications for certain jobs that require advanced
technical skills. A combination of several factors has shown that women often have
less access than men to productive resources, education, skills development and the
labour market (the vast majority of women are still confined to domestic work,
work in the informal sector, handicrafts and petty trading) and often work in lower
paid jobs than men. This situation confirms their under-representation in several
sectors of public and private life, especially in the scientific and technical fields.
126. In the civil service, a breakdown by gender of human resources indicates that
in category A (senior management) only 11.5 per cent are women. In the middle
management category, women are also less numerous, with 27.8 per cent of the total
workforce compared to 72.2 per cent for men. It is only in category C, which
represents fewer than 19 per cent of civil service employees, that the presence of
women is more pronounced (almost 60 per cent of employees in this category are
women, compared to 40.1 per cent for men).
127. Labour inspectorates oversee compliance with the ban on discrimination at
work through monitoring visits. In addition, meetings and seminars at the national
level help raise the awareness of companies of respect for the principle of non-
discrimination in employment. Thus, companies are encouraged to:
• Evaluate the presence of discrimination within their ranks;
• Establish and disseminate an employment policy setting out clear procedures
for non-discrimination and equal opportunities;
• Provide training at all levels to raise awareness of the issue and encourage
action against discrimination;
• Support awareness campaigns to combat stereotypes;
• Where necessary, modify the organization of work and the distribution of tasks
to prevent certain groups of workers from prejudice in terms of treatment and
promotions;
• Ensure equal opportunities in vocational training;
• Examine complaints and appeals from women workers;
• Encourage community efforts to create a climate of equal opportunity (such as
adult education programmes and funding for health and childcare services).
128. Workers are also called upon to contribute to the fight against discrimination
at work, through their representatives.
129. In addition, employers and labour unions are urged to develop a corporate
policy to eliminate discrimination and promote equality, and to refer to relevant
national and international standards.

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130. Civil society conducts awareness-raising campaigns to prevent sexual

harassment in general and in the workplace in particular that stress the fact that
gender discrimination also includes sexual harassment.
131. Mauritanian laws in general and labour laws in particular are gender-neutral
and treat workers of the same status equally. The principle of non-discrimination in
employment and occupation provided for in the Labour Code encompasses the
principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal
value.
132. The principle of equal pay for work of equal value means that rates and types
of remuneration should not depend on the sex of the worker but on an objective
assessment of the work performed. Equal pay is a fundamental right of male and
female workers, overseen by the labour inspectorate and enforced collaboratively by
the National Social Security Fund and the General Tax Directorate, which report
any violations to the inspectorate.
133. The principle of equality applies to all elements of pay, i.e. basic or ordinary
pay and other basic remuneration and benefits, whether paid directly or indirectly, in
cash or in kind. Wages are determined according to job classification and pay scale
systems, based on objective criteria that do not take the gender of the workers in
question into account.
134. Any reference to gender is eliminated from all pay criteria and collective
agreements, pay and bonus systems, pay scales, benefit plans, health insurance and
other benefits.

Article 12
Equal access to health services
135. The Government pays particular attention to the right to health, which is
enshrined in the Constitution, in the preamble and article 10.
136. The health of mothers and girls has benefited from government efforts to
accelerate implementation of the strategic framework for achieving the Millennium
Development Goals and its application to Goal 5, the targets of which concern
maternal health.
137. During the period from 2014 to 2019, the Government boosted its capacity and
efforts in the area of health and social welfare in general and reproductive health in
particular.
138. These efforts are the result of a political will expressed through various
sectoral and national health and social development strategies. In terms of
reproductive health and family well-being, Mauritania has made significant progress
thanks to political will reflected first in the adoption of the various iterations of the
strategic framework for poverty reduction and later in the strategy for accelerated
growth and shared prosperity, a strategy that has made health in general and
reproductive health in particular a priority.
139. Overall, these efforts have yielded results that are still insufficient to achieve
the health Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goal 3
targets.
140. The maternal mortality rate fell from 747 cases in 2001 to 626 in 2011 and to
510 in 2015, according to the 2015 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey).

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Figure I
Rate of assisted childbirths

Source: Health Statistics Yearbook 2018.

141. There has been a marked increase in assisted childbirths, from 49 per cent in
2000 to 64.5 per cent in 2011, with a 9.6 per cent rate for caesarean sections, thanks
to health services in closer proximity to users and the gradual greater availability of
equipment and trained staff.
142. The same trend also applies to consultations, where the State deploys efforts
and means to guarantee the constitutional right to health for all in general and for
women in particular.
143. The rate of contraceptive use among married women aged from 15 to 49
increased significantly in 2018, demonstrating women’s receptiveness to messages
on family planning, which they now recognize as a useful tool for their
development.

Figure II
Rate of contraceptive use

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Source: Health Statistics Yearbook 2018.

144. There has been a gradual increase in vaccination coverage and the introduction
of new vaccines.
145. Coverage rates for the five main vaccines can be seen in the figure below.

Figure III
Coverage of the five main vaccines

146. The field of health overall has benefited from the following activities:
• Improving access to health-care structures through health-centre and health-
post building and renovation programmes, training of health-care personnel
and provision of capital equipment, including ambulances for evacuating at-
risk cases, such as women experiencing childbirth difficulties;
• Establishing health-care training structures by opening a medical school and a
school for health-care personnel, thereby facilitating the development of
specialized hospitals such as a mother and baby hospital;
• Implementing a flat-rate obstetric payment programme enabling poor women
to receive obstetric care.

Article 14
Rural women
147. The rural parts of the country account for 45 per cent of the total population,
which is made up, for the most part, of poor people. They contribute about 20 per
cent of gross domestic product (GDP). The contribution of agriculture to GDP is
low (12 per cent), despite the large investments made and the fact that it employs
around 60 per cent of the population. In rural areas, more than 6 out of 10 women
are employed, compared with fewer than 4 out of 10 in urban areas. The activity of
rural women is particularly concentrated in the agricultural subsector, whose
productivity is markedly low. They are particularly involved in post-soil preparation
tasks (sowing, weeding, harvesting, transport, storage, processing and preserving of
crops) and in other work for which they are exclusively responsible, alongside
children (weeding, bird hunting, etc.).
148. Market gardening, which has intensified in recent decades as a result of severe
droughts, is a traditional activity carried on by women in cooperatives. This has

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made it possible to significantly improve people’s diet and living conditions.

Despite their strong presence in agriculture, it is difficult for women to become
landowners. According to the only study on women’s access to land ownership
conducted by the State Secretariat for the Status of Women, there are obstacles to
access to land for women: 56 per cent need a third party as guarantor to conduct a
land transaction, only 31 per cent are aware of the procedures for transferring land,
and only 18.7 per cent own land.
149. Mauritania is a country with a strong pastoral tradition and women are also
present in the livestock subsector (14 per cent of GDP) where, in line with
sociocultural traditions, they are responsible for milking cows, watering and milking
goats and sheep, and providing veterinary care, and processing and selling dairy
products. They still keep small livestock and poultry which, although providing only
a modest source of income, are a resource they control.
150. In the rural sector, the fundamental role that women play as a labour force is
generally recognized, although it is virtually absent from official accounts.
Moreover, women with limited access to land are highly concentrated in low
productivity activities and are not notably present in mixed socio-professional
organizations.
151. However, women who receive technical support are able to demonstrate their
ability to take charge of the socioeconomic development of their regions.
152. The activities conducted under various rural development programmes are part
of a dynamic of development and support to strengthen the capacities of rural
women and improve their income and living conditions. These programmes have
had positive impacts on women at different levels: participation in decision-making;
capacity-building; improved access to basic services, land, employment and credit;
and the promotion of grassroots women’s organizations.

Article 15
Equality in legal and civil matters
153. The Constitution provides for legal equality between men and women. Article
6 states that all citizens are equal before the law, which means that women, as
citizens, are entitled to exercise their political, economic and social rights fully. The
Personal Status Code was an important milestone in giving women a more equitable
place in society, offering prospects for the harmony of the family unit and for social
cohesion.
154. Article 12 of the Constitution states that all Mauritanians are equal before the
law. Under article 10 of the Constitution, everyone, regardless of gender, enjoys
equal rights.
155. Mauritanian legislation does not authorize any restriction on the movements of
Mauritanian men or women or on their freedom to choose their place of residence
and domicile.

Article 16
Equal rights in the family
156. Family relations are governed by the Personal Status Code. The right to marry
is inalienable, natural and fundamental for all men and women. Intending spouses
marry of their own free will. The complementary roles of men and women in
contracting marriage and choosing a spouse freely are recognized in article 1 of the

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Family Code, which defines marriage as a legal contract by which a man and a
woman come together to create a lasting conjugal life, the aim of marriage being
fidelity and procreation through the founding, on a sound basis and under the
husband’s direction, of a home that allows the spouses to fulfil their reciprocal
obligations with affection and mutual respect. Article 25 of the Personal Status
Code, which draws heavily on the provisions of the Mauritanian Constitution,
establishes equality between the husband and the wife with respect to individual
rights and property rights. It provides that in order to marry, both the intending
spouses must have given their consent and have reached the age required by law.
157. The Civil Status Act allows women to take their husband’s surname or retain
their maiden name. Article 28 of the Personal Status Code guarantees women the
right to freely choose their employment or occupation. Article 102 of the Personal
Status Code recognizes the right of women to seek divorce on grounds of prejudice.
The Code enshrines each spouse’s right to his or her own property and affirms
women’s capacity to manage their property themselves. It defines systematically
and in detail the rights and obligations of the spouses both during marriage and
upon its dissolution.

IV. Conclusion
158. In fulfilment of its obligations arising from the ratification of the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Mauritania has
embarked on a process of promoting and protecting women’s rights. The action
taken in this area reflects the Government’s political will to create an environment
favourable to women in all their diversity and social, economic and intellectual
specificities.
159. In addition to its political commitment, Mauritania now has some important
tools for completing the process of strengthening women’s participation in the
management of the community. Among other things, there is now a body
responsible for gender issues, development partners have been brought into the
process, civil society, the media and religious leaders are involved in raising
awareness and mobilizing public opinion on women’s rights, local courts have been
set up to encourage women to assert their rights and women have access to
microcredit.

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