In human history, slavery was an extremely unfair and oppressive social system, and Mauritania was the last country in the world to declare the abolition of slavery, but there were still many problems plaguing the country, including the persistence of slavery and social injustice.
This article will explore the history of the abolition of slavery in Mauritania and the reasons why it has not been eradicated.
History of the abolition of slavery in Mauritania
Located in northwest Africa, Mauritania is the largest desert country on the African continent. Throughout Mauritania's history, slavery was a long-standing social phenomenon.
Under the influence of Arab culture, slavery in Mauritania gradually developed into a system based on race and descent, the "black slavery", which divided the social hierarchy between black slaves and white natives into different hierarchies.
Since Mauritania declared its independence in 1960, the Government has embarked on a series of reform measures aimed at advancing social and economic development and enhancing the country's international standing. These reforms covered many areas, including social, political and economic, including the abolition of slavery.
However, the abolition of slavery was not an easy task in this country. Many people opposed the idea, believing that slavery was their tradition and culture.
In addition, some rich and powerful people were reluctant to give up their slaves. In the 1980s, the Mauritanian Government had intensified its crackdown on slavery, but those efforts had had little effect.
In 2007, the Government of Mauritania issued a decree entitled the Law on the Prohibition of Slavery and Acts Related to Slavery, which formally abolished slavery and made it a serious crime.
The introduction of this law signifies the commitment of the Government of Mauritania to the international community to eliminate slavery and to take positive measures to achieve that goal. Through this law, many slaves were freed, they were able to return to a free life, and they were granted some basic human rights and freedoms under the protection of the law.
The move also attracted widespread international attention and praise because it marked the resolution of a long-standing human rights problem and set an example for other countries to take action to eliminate slavery.
In 2018, Mauritania again amended its law to define slavery as a "crime against humanity" and strengthened penalties, including life imprisonment and fines.
Slavery in Mauritania still exists
Although slavery had been abolished in Mauritania, slavery still existed in practice. The relationship between slave owners and slaves still exists, but it has become more hidden and complex.
Since the relationship between slave owners and slaves was based on family and blood ties, this system was more difficult to break.
Slave owners were usually richer and more powerful people than slaves, and they gained more wealth and power through their control and exploitation of slaves. Many slaves were forced to work for their owners, who had to perform manual labor, take care of household chores, and take care of their children.
In some cases, slaves even had to perform very dangerous jobs, such as miners, fishermen, and farmers. Slaves usually did not receive any salary, and they depended on the gifts of their slave owners to survive. Sometimes, slave owners even physically and psychologically abused and exploited slaves.
Moreover, although the Government of Mauritania had enacted a law abolishing slavery, its laws and law enforcement agencies had not fully implemented the law.
In fact, many slaves were not emancipated, and slave owners were not severely punished. This allowed slavery to continue to exist and develop, and slaves were often afraid to report their situation to the authorities for fear of reprisals.
The reason why Mauritania was unable to eradicate slavery
(1) Social concepts and culture
Slavery has existed for a long time in Mauritanian society, and this social concept and culture has deeply influenced people's thinking and behavior. Many people believe that slavery is a tradition and culture that is deeply rooted in local societies.
Many are reluctant to give up this tradition and culture, which they see as a reflection of their identity and status.
In addition, many relationships between slaves and slave owners were based on familial and kinship ties, which were more difficult to break. Many slave owners believed that they had the right to control and exploit their family members, a concept that was widely accepted in local society.
(2) Poverty and social injustice
Mauritania is a country with a very poor economy, with the majority of the population living in extreme poverty. Slave owners were generally richer and more influential than slaves, and they were able to acquire more wealth and power through their control and exploitation of slaves.
This gap between rich and poor and social injustice affected not only the relationship between slaves and slave owners, but also the development and stability of society as a whole.
(3) Failure of legal and law enforcement agencies
Although Mauritania had declared the abolition of slavery, it had not been fully implemented by legal and law enforcement agencies. Many slaves were not emancipated, and slave owners were not punished. This situation led to the continued existence and development of slavery.
In some cases, the authorities even turned a blind eye to slavery or were bought or threatened by slave owners to effectively enforce the law.
(4) Lack of education and ideological change
Many people do not have a deep understanding of the wrongs and cruelty of slavery, and they lack awareness of human rights and equality. In addition, many people have no education, no access to information and knowledge, and it is difficult for them to understand their rights and interests. The lack of education and ideological change was one of the main obstacles to the eradication of slavery.
Ways to address the problem of slavery in Mauritania
(1) Strengthen the strength of legal and law enforcement agencies
Mauritania needs to strengthen its legal and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the law abolishing slavery is fully implemented.
Those who violated the rights of slaves must be punished and help and protection provided to those deprived of their liberty. It is important to ensure that the authorities are able to detect and address violations of the abolition of slavery in a timely manner and to provide remedies to the victims.
(2) Promote the transformation of social concepts and culture
Social and cultural change must be promoted through education and awareness-raising campaigns, and people need to recognize the wrongs and cruelty of slavery and the meaning and value of human rights and equality.
People must be encouraged to break free from the shackles of tradition and culture, to be truly aware of their rights and interests and to contribute to the realization of a free, equal and just society. In this regard, Governments, non-governmental organizations and international organizations all have a role to play in jointly promoting ideological change.
(3) Economic development and poverty reduction
Mauritania's economic development and poverty reduction were also important ways to eradicate slavery. Governments can help lift people out of poverty and slavery by increasing employment opportunities, raising income levels, improving living conditions and strengthening social protection.
The government should adopt active economic policies to attract foreign investment and develop local industries, create more jobs and economic opportunities, and improve people's quality of life and social status.
(4) The support and cooperation of the international community
Mauritania needed the support and cooperation of the international community to jointly promote the process of eradicating slavery. International organizations could provide financial, technical and human resources to help Mauritania strengthen law enforcement agencies, promote ideological change, promote economic development and improve living conditions.
The international community could also use public pressure and diplomacy to induce the Government of Mauritania to take more active and effective measures to eradicate slavery.
conclusion
The international community had differing views on Mauritania's efforts to eradicate slavery. Although Mauritania has made some progress towards its abolition since its abolition.
However, there is general agreement in the international community that Mauritania still faces many challenges and difficulties in eradicating slavery.
The United Nations, the European Union and other international and human rights organizations have been monitoring Mauritania's efforts and have provided assistance and support. In its 2018 review, the UN Human Rights Council noted that Mauritania still has a large deal of slavery and related modern forms such as forced labour and human trafficking.
The Commission called on the Government of Mauritania to strengthen its action against slavery and to establish an independent body to investigate and prosecute slavery-related crimes.
On the other hand, some human rights organizations are skeptical of Mauritania's efforts. For example, Human Rights Watch noted that while the Mauritanian government had taken some measures to eliminate slavery, they were inadequate and poorly implemented.
HRW also noted that many victims of slavery were at risk of repression and reprisals, and that the government did not provide adequate protection and support to these victims.
Overall, the international community generally agreed that Mauritania still had a long way to go in eliminating slavery.
Although the country had made some progress on the issue, more actions and measures were needed to eliminate slavery, protect the rights of victims, and ensure continued progress and improvement. In addition, the international community will continue to monitor the efforts of the Government of Mauritania to eradicate slavery and provide the necessary support and assistance.
In our future efforts, we must remember that slavery is a violation of human rights that undermines human dignity and prevents human beings from living on the basis of dignity and freedom. According to United Nations statistics, slavery persists worldwide, which is a serious threat to human civilization.
We should therefore work together to eradicate slavery, which is a key element in achieving global human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mauritania's efforts could not stop at the abolition of slavery.
On that basis, Mauritania also needed to build a truly just and equitable society, one that protected the dignity and rights of all and enabled everyone to enjoy equal opportunities and well-being. Such a society is not only a goal for Mauritania, but also for all countries and regions to aspire.
It is also a society based on human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals, where human dignity and worth can truly be realized. Therefore, in our efforts, we must bear in mind human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals in order to create a more just and equitable world.
In conclusion, the eradication of slavery was a long and difficult task that required perseverance and determination, as well as the support and cooperation of the global community. We should achieve a just and equitable society around the world through enhanced cooperation and joint efforts, where all people can live in dignity and freedom.
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