On 19 and 20 July 2025, the Max Planck Foundation organized a workshop in Nouakchott in collaboration with two local partner organisations, i.e. Organisation de Communication et d’Encadrement (PCE); and Agir pour le Bien-être des Enfants, des Personnes Agées et Déficientes (ABEPAD). The workshop, titled ‘Women’s Political Rights: A Comparative Overview of Domestic Legal Systems and International Norms’, was undertaken in the framework of the German Foreign Office-funded project ‘Strengthening the Reach and Accessibility of Constitutional Justice in Mauritania.’ The event brought together 40 participants, among them legal professionals, civil society representatives, academics and other stakeholders.
The workshop officially opened on 19 July 2025 in the presence of a representative of the German Embassy, with opening statements by Dr Oum Kalthoum Hamedinou, Head of PCE, and Ms Yande Sall, President of ABEPAD. It preceded the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, solidifying the partnership between the Max Planck Foundation and the two Mauritanian partner organisations, ABEPAD and PCE.
The workshop featured insightful presentations, case studies and a lively working group session on, inter alia, the conceptual and historical developments of women’s political rights, international legal instruments protecting the right to political participation, and domestic provisions promoting women’s participation in electoral processes in Mauritania. A significant focus was also placed on the notions of economic empowerment and capacity building as crucial factors in supporting women’s ability to exercise their political rights. During the working group session, participants shared their perspectives on the challenges facing women who seek to actively participate in political life in Mauritania. The participants also reflected on possible legislative and policy reform proposals to improve women’s political participation in Mauritania. Thereby, they underlined the need to raise public awareness on women’s political rights in Mauritania and emphasised the importance of the role of civil society and the judiciary in bringing national practices up to international standards.
After two days of fruitful discussions and exchanges, the workshop was ended with a closing statement by Dr Oum Kalthoum Hamedinou (PCE), who expressed gratitude to the Max Planck Foundation and the German Federal Foreign Office for their ongoing support.