On June 29, 2024, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania held its presidential election. The incumbent President, His Excellency Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, won a second term in office. While observers from the African Union described the election process as peaceful the post-election environment was reportedly marked by unrest and protests. There were no female presidential candidates.
On June 29, 2024, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania held its presidential election. Seven candidates, all men, participated in the polls. Incumbent President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani secured a second term in office, winning 56.12% of the votes. Biram Dah Abeid, an independent candidate, received 22.10%. Hamadi Mohamed Abdi, National Rally for Reform and Development Party, secured 12.78% of the votes. The president of Mauritania is directly elected by an absolute majority and serves a 5-year term. The Constitution of Mauritania establishes a two-term limit (Article 28). As President Ghazouani received a majority of votes a second round was not held.
According to observers from the African Union, the election process was peaceful. However, there were reports of post-election protests, demonstrations and violence in Nouadhibou, Rosso Zoueirat, and Boghe; 3 protesters died. There were also restrictions on mobile internet services.
Women’s Political Representation
Women’s representation in the country’s political spheres remains low. Since Mauritania’s independence in 1960, all nine presidents have been men. The President appoints the country's Prime Minister. No woman has occupied served as Prime Minister. In 2003, Ms Aisha Bint Jidanah made history when she became the first female presidential candidate in Mauritania. As part of her platform, Ms Jidanah said she would be the candidate for all women. In 2015, Ms Lalla Mariem Mint Moulaye Idriss became the second female presidential candidate. Ms Idriss, who ran as an independent, campaigned on issues such as social equality and parity. Despite a more than 20-year career in government and chairing the Mauritanian Information Agency (AMI) Board of Directors, few Mauritanians were aware of Ms Idriss' candidacy.
The first female minister in Mauritania, Ms Aissata Kane, was appointed in 1975 and since then over 14 female ministers have been appointed to ministerial positions across the country. In August 2024, President Ghazouani presented his new government. Of the 29 ministers, 5 are women (17%). They are:
- Dr Houda Babah, Minister of Education and the Reform of the Education System
- Ms Zeinebou Mint Ahmednah, Minister of Trade and Tourism
- Ms Amal Mouloud, Minister of Water and Sanitation
- Ms Savia Mint N'tahah, Minister of Social Action, Children, and Family
- Ms Massouda Baham, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development
In the previous cabinet 5 out of the 25 (20%) ministers were female.
As of June 2023, women occupy 41 of the 176 seats (23.3%) in the National Assembly. In the 2023 parliamentary elections, over 10,000 women contested positions, and women made up more than half of the registered voters. At the local level, as of 2019, women make up 31% of elected seats in local deliberative bodies. The first female mayor, Maty Mint Hamady, was elected in 2014 to lead Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott. Women presently hold 2 out of 248 mayor seats in Mauritania.
Legal and policy reforms on women’s rights
Regarding women’s political participation, the Constitution of Mauritania “favors the equal access of women and of men to the electoral mandate and elective function.” Moreover, Mauritania has adopted legislated quotas at national and sub-national levels. The amended Organic Law on the Election of Members of the National Assembly stipulates that 20 seats are reserved for female candidates running in a single nationwide list. In electoral constituencies with 3 seats, the candidate list will include at least one woman in the first or second position, and in constituencies with more than 3 seats, each list is alternately composed of a candidate of each sex. There are also legal sanctions for non-compliance and financial incentives for political parties that elect more than required per the quota. Upon enactment of the quota, the next parliamentary elections in 2013 saw a jump in women’s representation; from 17.9% in 2011 to 25.2% in 2013. Since then however, women’s representation in Mauritania’s parliament has remained below 25%.
Beyond the political sphere, Mauritania has implemented measures promoting women’s rights. Regarding harmful practices and violence against women, female genital mutilation (FGM) is prohibited and criminalised in Mauritania under Law No. 2005–015 on the Criminal Protection of the Child (2005). Sexual harassment in employment is also prohibited. The 2015 - 2025 National Strategy for Gender Institutionalization aims to eradicate gender-based violence and discrimination against women. Concerning women’s economic rights and empowerment, Mauritania adopted the National Strategy on Developing the Private Sector 2015 -2019 to enhance women’s economic participation and the Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity Strategy 2016 – 2030 to reduce poverty. Similarly, the 2019 National Strategy for the Promotion of Women further strengthens women’s economic empowerment through provisions for financing women-led projects via micro-credit and increasing women’s political representation. Several other national strategies address women's sexual and reproductive health, such as providing access to reproductive health services.
Challenges to women’s political participation
Whilst Mauritania has taken steps to promote women’s rights through legislative and policy initiatives, obstacles, traditional, social and cultural views and gender stereotypes negatively Mauritanian women’s representation and participation in political and public life. Both female presidential candidates met resistance. When Ms Jidanah ran for President in 2003, she struggled to get the 50 signatures from local government officials required to officially become a candidate. According to Ms Jidanah, the officials “initially thought there was little credibility in the idea of a woman running for the country’s highest office.” Moreover, in 2012, an Islamic Decree banning women from running in elections was published. The Decree stated that if women enter the race, “it may only be for fun.”
For many women interested in participating in political life and seeking elected office, access to funds remains a significant obstacle. Less than 30% of Mauritanian women participate in the formal labour force and only 11% are business owners. Women do not have equal ownership and inheritance rights to property as their spouses and male relations (Law No. 2001-052, Law establishing the Personal Status Code, Art. 254-256, 262-264). Ms Idriss, the second female presidential candidate, reportedly financed her campaign through personal funds as she did not receive any State subsidies which limited her ability to campaign and gain recognition among Mauritanian voters. Other factors also affect women's political participation. For example, child marriage remains prevalent in Mauritania. Despite the legal minimum age for marriage set at 18 for boys and girls, customary practices of marrying girls under age 18 persist in regions like Guidimagha, Assaba, and Hodh Echargui.
Mauritanian women advocating for change
Mauritanian civil society organisations actively advocate for strengthening women's rights and enhancing women's and girls' participation. For example, the Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille (Association of Women Heads of Households - AFCF) and the Mauritanian Council for Business Women campaign for policy reforms and initiatives safeguarding and promoting women’s full socioeconomic empowerment and wellbeing. In 2019, AFCF was one of the women’s groups that campaigned for stricter penalties on sexual and gender-based violence in Mauritania. They subsequently proposed a new legislation in this regard, which unfortunately faced rejection by the parliament twice. In 2022, they participated in discussions with the African Commission to safeguard the rights of women's advocates in Mauritania, aiming to uphold their freedom of expression and assembly. Concerning women’s political participation, the Advocacy Initiatives Group for Women’s Political Participation (Groupes des Initiatives de Plaidoyer pour la Participation Politique des Femmes (GI3PF)) continue to raise awareness to increase women’s awareness of the need for political representation and the opportunities available in Mauritania’s political life.
Conclusion
Incumbent President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani won the 2024 presidential election in Mauritania, securing a second term in office. There were no female candidates in the 2024 presidential polls. Women’s representation in parliament increased following the adoption of the quota, it remains however below 25%.
Although Mauritania has adopted and implemented legislation and policy initiatives to enhance women's participation in political and public life, challenges remain. As noted above, women are underrepresented in elected positions at the national and local levels. Various obstacles, such as gender stereotypes and limited financial resources, limit their full and equal participation. Efforts are however underway to enhance Mauritanian women’s rights and ensure their full and equal participation in political and public life. Women’s organisations, such as the Advocacy Initiatives Group for Women’s Political Participation and the Mauritanian Council for Business Women, are raising awareness and advocating for Mauritanian women’s political rights and socioeconomic empowerment.