Max Planck Foundation holds a workshop on Women’s Right to Access Justice in Mauritania.
On 17 and 18 May 2025, the Foundation successfully delivered a workshop for representatives of local civil society organisations in Mauritania. The workshop, titled “Women’s Access to Justice in Light of International Standards and the Mauritanian Legal System”, was conducted in the framework of the German Foreign Office-funded project ‘Strengthening the Reach and Accessibility of Constitutional Justice in Mauritania.’ The workshop brought together 40 participants, including academics, lawyers, civil society representatives and other stakeholders.
The workshop was officially opened on 17 May 2025 by HE Dr Florian Reindel, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Mauritania; Ms Lalla Hassna, Chargée de Mission at the Commission of Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society; Dr Oum Kalthoum Hamedinou, Head of the Communication and Mentoring Organisation (PCE), and Ms Yande Sall, Head of the Organisation “Acting for the Wellbeing of Children, the Elderly and the Disabled (ABEPAD)”.
The workshop featured insightful presentations, case studies and lively discussions. Sessions covered the fundamental concepts of women’s rights and access to justice, an examination of the applicability of international law in the Mauritanian legal framework, women’s rights in Sharia law, and cross-country examples of progress and challenges concerning women’s right to access justice in Tunisia and France. Participants shared their views on the obstacles facing women seeking access to justice in Mauritania. They also stressed the need to raise public awareness on women’s rights and emphasised the importance of the role of civil society and the judiciary in bringing national practices up to international standards.
The workshop was officially concluded by Dr Oum Kalthoum Hamedinou, Head of PCE, and Mrs Yande Sall, Head of ABEPAD, who expressed gratitude to the Max Planck Foundation and the German Federal Foreign Office for their ongoing support in strengthening women’s access to justice in Mauritania.