First Workshop with the Mauritanian Centre for Legal, Economic, and Social Studies promoting academic dialogue on Mauritania’s constitutional review process and women’s access to justice

In December 2024 the Max Planck Foundation conducted its first workshop with the Mauritanian Centre for Legal, Economic, and Social Studies (‘CMERJES’) under the German Federal Foreign Office-funded project titled Strengthening the Reach and Accessibility of Constitutional Justice in Mauritania, in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Headed by Prof Dr Mohamed Dah Abdelkader, CMERJES is a national civil society organisation that serves as a centre of activity for Mauritania’s renowned academic community in the fields of law, economics, and sociology.

In his opening address, Mr Reinhard Uhlig representing the German Embassy in Nouakchott welcomed the participants and expressed the Foreign Office’s pleasure in having CMERJES as a partner in this two-year project. He affirmed this partnership’s aim to promote academic dialogue on crucial constitutional questions in the country and the challenges facing women in Mauritania in accessing justice.

Over the first two days, the Max Planck team discussed with the participants, ranging from esteemed law professors to senior graduate law students, specific topics of constitutional theory and adjudication, including constitutionalism, the principle of separation of powers, the principle of proportionality, and balancing of rights and freedoms. Several CMERJES’ senior researchers also presented on questions of constitutional interpretation and constitutional review in the Mauritanian context.

On the third day of the event, the Foundation, in partnership with CMERJES, hosted female researchers and affiliates of the Centre for a collaborative dialogue on the challenges of women’s access to justice in Mauritania. During this event, three senior female researchers delivered presentations on the legal, socio-cultural, and economic challenges facing women in their access to justice in Mauritania. The presentations were complemented with lively debates and questions from the audience.

In his closing speech, Prof Dr Mohamed Dah Abdelkader warmly thanked the Foundation for the well-planned event and rich presentations and welcomed further workshops as part of the upcoming project activities.