In general, the rights of women in Mauritania are not sufficiently protected. The country is home to two main ethnic communities: the majority Moors (Arabs and Berbers) and a large minority of Blacks. Nearly all the inhabitants of Mauritania are Muslim, but tensions exist between the two communities. Moreover, each group has different traditions that affect the condition of women, either positively or negatively, in different areas of daily life. Thus, it is helpful to examine the position of women according to their ethnic origin.
The level of protection of Mauritanian women within the family is unclear. By law, marriage in Mauritania requires the free consent of both parties, and the minimum legal age of marriage is 18 years for both men and women. But the law is not respected. Arranged marriages and early marriage do occur (mostly within the Black community, but rarely among the Moors) although their frequency is diminishing. A 2004 United Nations report estimated that 28 per cent of girls were married, divorced or widowed.
Following Islamic Sharia law, polygamy is legal in Mauritania. It is common within the Black population, but seldom occurs among the Moors. Once married (but not before marrying), women can ask their husbands not to enter into a second union.
In Mauritania, the husband is considered to be the head of the household and holds parental authority, but several legal articles effectively limit his power to act independently on all matters. For example, both parents are responsible for their children’s primary education. In the event of divorce (commonly requested by wives), the law usually awards custody to the mother. The divorce rate is quite high among the Moors; more than one-third of marriages end in this way.
The law in Mauritania establishes the inalienable inheritance rights of women; however, following Sharia law their share is usually less than that to which men are entitled. Daughters, for example, inherit only half of the shares acquired by sons. No information is available regarding inheritance rights for widows.
The physical integrity of Mauritanian women is not sufficiently protected. Violence against women exists in various forms, some of which are specific to one or the other ethnic group. Women are legally protected against physical violence inflicted by their husbands; but if abuse occurs, they are more likely to seek assistance from their families rather than calling the police or other authorities. In keeping with deep-rooted Arab traditions that prize excess weight as an image of female beauty, families in the Moorish community are known to force-feed their daughters. The practice has become so problematic that the government frequently runs media campaigns against it – apparently with some success. It is estimated that nearly 25 per cent of young girls are still subjected to this abuse, whereas past figures were as high as 50 per cent.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is very prevalent in Mauritania, despite government efforts to eradicate the practice by running campaigns and making it illegal for public hospitals to perform the procedure. An estimated 75 per cent of women have undergone some form of FGM, most of them quite severe; less than one-sixth of cases are a “symbolic” single cut. The highest rates of FGM are found in the country’s southeast region and amongst illiterate women. In the Moorish north, the percentage of women affected is about the national average.
At present, there is no evidence that the practice is in decline; the percentage of women affected is the same across all age groups. The medical profession and several NGOs have joined the effort to raise awareness of the dangers of FGM and education is proving valuable: nearly half of the women in northern Mauritiania say they have no intention of subjecting their daughters to the practice.
There is no evidence to suggest that Mauritania is a country of concern in relation to missing women.
The government has taken steps to improve the ownership rights of women in Mauritania, but this progress remains fragile. In the south, many women have access to land, which they manage alone and hold on a usufruct basis.
The Constitution guarantees women the right to access to property other than land, and many women own and manage commercial or craft enterprises. Overall, women are significantly more involved in the economy than they were 30 or 40 years ago, and their standard of living has improved as a result.
In recent years, the State created mutual savings and loans banks and micro-credit establishments, thereby facilitating women’s access to bank loans. These establishments have proved very successful; women borrow more than men and and are reported to have a higher rate of repayment.
Disparities still exist between Mauritania’s two main communities, but women’s civil liberties seem less restricted than in the past. Legally, women have a certain degree of freedom of movement, but it may be limited by tradition. In general, married women are free to work without their husband’s consent. Many women from both communities work in the craft or commercial sectors; some are highly independent, with jobs in the import/export business that require frequent travel both within and outside the country.
Women’s freedom of dress is determined by Sharia law. The Moor community frequently enforces the veil, which is worn by about half of Moorish women. The Black community follows customary practices, which allow a more liberal approach to dress.
Afrol News (2007), Gender Profile: Mauritania, www.afrol.com/Categories/Women/profiles/mauretania_women.htm.
CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women) (2005), Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Mauritania, Initial Report of States Parties, CEDAW/C/MRT/1, CEDAW, New York, NY.
Djeynaba, K. (2003), “The Changing Role of Women in Mauritania”, North Africa Times 16-22/12/2007
Lang, J. (1998), Enquête sur la situation des femmes dans le monde, Rapport d’information no 733, Assemblée Nationale, Paris.
Office National de la Statistique (ONS) [Mauritanie] et ORC Macro (2001), Enquête Démographique et de Santé Mauritanie 2000-2001, ONS et ORC Macro, Calverton, MD.
UN (United Nations) (2004), World Fertility Report 2003, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, New York, NY.
