The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Mauritania, commending the State on its advances in education for women, while asking questions about female genital mutilation and human trafficking. A Committee Expert commended the State party on advances made in education, particularly the innovative attempts made to incorporate girls into traditional male areas. Another Expert asked if statistical data could be provided on female genital mutilation in Mauritania in urban and rural areas? Could information on cases, including the punishment of perpetrators, be provided? What was the State doing to address the prevalence of the practice in the south and southeast of the country? Which actors were involved in the strategy to combat female genital mutilation and violence against women? Were harmful stereotypes addressed in this strategy? What was a result of the act to protect women against female genital mutilation? A Committee Expert was concerned that substantial results on the protection of women from trafficking had not been achieved. What were the main achievements of the trafficking in humans action plan? What measures would be put in place to counter this phenomenon? What measures were being taken by the State party to proactively screen for trafficking among vulnerable populations? Who were the major actors involved in identifying cases of trafficking? How would the investigation, prosecution and punishment of traffickers be improved? The delegation said the Government had developed a strategy for promoting the end of female genital mutilation through solemn public declarations by villages and regions where this was practiced that they would no longer perform it. Significant results in combatting female genital mutilation had already been achieved. The Government was cooperating with United Nations bodies and civil society to tackle these issues. Imams and doctors were involved in campaigns, and national and regional decisions confirmed the commitment of religious leaders to end female genital mutilation. The national action plan to counter human trafficking concluded in 2022 and was being updated, said the delegation. The body responsible for tackling human trafficking was operational and had been able to take action in all cases under its mandate. This body worked in close cooperation with the monitoring unit. An outcome of this ensured all victims were identified and provided with necessary support. Since this architecture had been established, Mauritania’s response to human trafficking had vastly improved. Awareness raising campaigns on trafficking and migrant smuggling had also been rolled out across the entire country. Introducing the report, Cheikh Ahmedou Sidi, Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society of Mauritania and head of the delegation, said the provisions of the Convention were directly enforceable, could be invoked before the courts, and took precedence over national laws, in accordance with the Mauritanian Constitution. The creation of the National Observatory for the Rights of Women and Girls was a major achievement. This advisory body worked to enlighten public authorities on monitoring and following up on deficiencies in the field of women"s rights. Many steps had been taken to combat trafficking in persons, including setting up anti-slavery courts, providing legal aid, and establishing a special support fund for victims. Mr. Sidi reiterated the State’s readiness to continue dialogue with the Committee. In concluding remarks, Mr. Sidi thanked the Committee for the exchange which was interesting and important. By the next dialogue with the Committee, Mauritania would have made many changes in the best interests of the country. Ana Peláez Narváez, Chair of the Committee, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee which provided further insight into the situation of women and girls in Mauritania. The Committee commended the State party and encouraged it to make all efforts to implement the Committee’s recommendations. The delegation of Mauritania consisted of representatives of the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation; the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Modernisation of the Administration; the Ministry of Social Affairs, Children and Family; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Mauritanians abroad; the Ministry of Higher Education; the Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society; the Prime Minister’s Office; the Magistrate; the National Authority to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants; the General Directorate of National Security; and the Permanent Mission of Mauritania to the United Nations Office at Geneva. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-fourth session is being held from 6 to 24 February. All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage. The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 16 February, to review the seventh periodic report of Slovenia (CEDAW/C/SVN/7). Report The Committee has before it the fourth periodic report of Mauritania (CEDAW/C/MRT/4). Presentation of Report CHEIKH AHMEDOU SIDI, Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society of Mauritania and head of the delegation, said that in order to fully implement the provisions of the Convention, the Government had published the text of the Convention in a special issue of the Official Gazette of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in 2014. The provisions of the Convention were directly enforceable, could be invoked before the courts, and took precedence over national laws, in accordance with the Mauritanian Constitution. Several important legal texts had been issued, including on the criminalisation of discrimination, on the prevention and punishment of trafficking in persons and the protection of victims, and on the establishment of a national mechanism for the protection of women and girls, among others. The creation of the National Observatory for the Rights of Women and Girls was a major achievement. This advisory body worked to enlighten public authorities on monitoring and following up on deficiencies in the field of women"s rights. Awareness campaigns had been organised in most regions of the country to advocate for the empowerment of women and girls and to call on State actors to intensify efforts to protect the rights of this group. Several new institutions had been established, including the General Delegation for National Solidarity and Combatting Exclusion. Despite the current situation in the Sahel-Saharan region, which was characterised by dangerous phenomena including terrorism, insecurity and transnational organized crime, Mauritania was keen to remain faithful to the development plan to consolidate the rule of law and preserve democratic gains, while involving and empowering women. To promote women"s representation in political, economic and social life, a national parliamentary list of 20 seats reserved for women had been established. Mauritania had also increased the number of constituencies by three seats, at least one of which was for women, and ensured women and men had equal retirement ages, among other measures. Combatting violence against women was a key focus of the Government. A regional mechanism had been established to prevent violence against women and ensure care for victims through coordination between public and private bodies. Many other measures had been launched, including the multisectoral national committee to combat child marriage, among others. According to the Demographic and Health Survey from 2019-2021, 64 per cent of women in the age group of 15-49 years and 45 per cent of girls in the age group 0-14 years were victims of harmful practices. To address this phenomenon, the national strategy had been updated to focus on prevention, care, the institutional framework, research, and follow up. Some 26 awareness workshops had been organised for 302 women"s cooperatives, as well as awareness-raising operations in 28 secondary schools, targeting 3,018 students. The Government had adopted the National Strategy for Reproductive Health to strengthen and develop health services, especially for the neediest communities, with a focus on prenatal and postnatal examinations. Mauritania was among the leading countries that had launched the African campaign against child marriage and established a multisectoral commission for its implementation. An annual campaign was organised with United Nations agencies to combat child marriage. The State had established many income-generating programmes and activities for women, and in 2022, over 4,628 women’s projects were financed. The Women"s Training and Promotion Centre trained 944 girls in various fields, including vegetable cultivation, animal development, and hunting techniques. The Government had taken many measures to facilitate access to education for girls, including providing buses for female students in rural areas and establishing safe spaces for girls in schools, among others. Many steps had been taken to combat trafficking in persons, including setting up anti-slavery courts, providing legal aid, and establishing a special support fund for victims. Mr. Sidi reiterated the State’s readiness to continue dialogue with the Committee. AHMED SALEM BOUHOUBEYNI, President of the National Human Rights Commission of Mauritania, noted with satisfaction the measures taken by Mauritania, including the fight against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, and welcomed the number of mechanisms created to strengthen the legal and environmental fabric of human rights in Mauritania with the aim of better implementing the Convention. The National Observatory for the Rights of Women and Girls would be more credible if it were emancipated from the Ministry of Social Work, Childhood and the Family. It must have financial and legal autonomy to carry out its mandate. The Gender Based Violence Act had been struggling for several years now, and it was necessary to firmly reaffirm this initiative so that women and girls who were faced with an upsurge in violence could have a legal basis for protection, in accordance with international standards. Questions by Committee Experts ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN-MSHELIA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Mauritania, noted the efforts made by the State party to address barriers to the implementation of the Convention. Did the Personal Status Code of 2001 and provisions relating to marriage and divorce align with the Convention definition? Were there any plans to repeal the discriminatory aspects of the Code, including the death penalty? Could data be provided on how many laws had been reviewed? Could explicit implementation plans be provided? A Committee Expert commended Mauritania’s efforts in the course of peace. It was noted that a women, peace and security action plan had been adopted. The efforts to consolidate the rule of law were also welcomed. Could specific indicators be provided on measures taken to engage in a dialogue with religious leaders and civil society? Could information on the training of judges and the judiciary be provided? What was being done to ensure that legal aid was available to the most vulnerable? What were the key priorities of the reform of the judicial sector? To what extent were civil society representatives engaged and involved? Responses by the Delegation and Follow-up Questions and Responses The delegation said there were women judges in Mauritania; women were active in all aspects of the courts in the country. Legal aid existed in Mauritania and was available for women in all kinds of cases, whether civil or criminal. The initial forums for the reform had taken place, and a report summarising these discussions would be published. There was a discrepancy between the number of cases of harassment that occurred, and those that were lodged before the courts. Cases of rape often appeared before the court too late which was regrettable. The victim could sometimes be pregnant, which rendered the handling of these cases complicated. Proceedings and trials could be hampered by this. Six workshops had been launched, including those which dealt with the independence of the judiciary and training. Early marriage was authorised with an exception, and it was at the heart of the bill on violence against women. This bill was initially withdrawn so the President could ensure national consensus and improve the bill. An awareness raising workshop would take place to ensure the broadest possible level of participation. Child marriage was set out in that bill as being a criminal offence. The Code on the Personal Status was currently under review. The Bill on Violence against Women also included additions relating to female genital mutilation. The links between civil society and religious entities were vital. Ensuring these links and dialogue was the only way to bring these laws to the most remote areas. An awareness raising campaign spearheaded by civil society had reached a quarter of Mauritania’s population. ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN-MSHELIA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Mauritania, asked if there were any social or moral sanctions put in place to deter harmful cultural practices, which seemed prevalent in Mauritania? The death penalty still had not been addressed. A Committee Expert asked if the institutions that Mauritania had established were independent? Did the institutions follow-up and address the grievances of women? In response, the delegation said the death penalty had not been abolished in Mauritania. However, a moratorium was in place which was the oldest in the world. There were certain things which could not be done due to Islamic Sharia, which was the source of the justice system. This issue was not been cast aside. The State would try and find a solution which was favourable to human rights. The reservations on article 13 and 16 would be maintained. Female genital mutilation was prohibited under Mauritanian law. Perpetrators were convicted to six years in prison for submitting children to harmful practices. The Government had put a comprehensive strategy in place for targeting female genital mutilation, and this was being implemented. The Ministry of Social Issues settled family disputes in a friendly manner with the husband and wife present. If this could not be settled, the case would be referred to the courts. Mauritania had developed an action plan for combatting marital violence. Several shelters had been established for women victims of violence. Questions by Committee Experts ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Chair of the Committee, said the death penalty was a crime against humanity, and there was no reason that could justify the death penalty under any circumstances. Mauritania was urged to take all steps to abolish the death penalty. A Committee Expert asked about the relationship between the National Observatory for the Rights of Women and Girls and the Ministry? What legal measures existed to protect women’s rights across all sectors? What gender transformative targets had been realised by the Ministry and Observatory in compliance with the Convention? What percentage of the national budget was allocated to the Ministry and Observatory? Had the State party elaborated a national gender policy? Did the national women’s machinery have public education campaigns to promote its activities among all women, including vulnerable women? How effective was outreach in rural areas? A Committee Expert commended the State party for allowing 20 per cent of seats in councils to be held by women. How was the quota utilised? Could information be provided on the electoral law? What had been the impact of temporary special measures with regard to the women’s empowerment agenda? Were affirmative actions taken to level the playing field for women’s participation? Were there other temporary special measures beyond political quotas? Responses by the Delegation The delegation said the National Observatory for the Rights of Women and Girls was an independent body. The Council of Advisors was comprised of 22 persons, whose job was to empower women. Despite political will, challenges were being faced in the public sphere which was patriarchal. The budget for the National Observatory was the same as that of the National Human Rights Institution. Over the past few years, Mauritania had enacted meaningful reforms in the economic and social spheres, including in education, political participation, and commerce. There was a national strategy for women’s empowerment, which focused on more women in decision-making positions, as well as on female education. The national child protection strategy was intended to prevent violence and deal with issues of discrimination and neglect. Nine vocational training schools had been opened in rural areas for girls. Job fairs were also organised which focused on women. A programme “Realise my Dream” was launched to eradicate socio-cultural barriers to girls and women going to school. The programme worked with religious leaders to ensure that obstacles such as child marriage, which prevented girls from finishing schools, were overcome. The programme also ensured transport was available for girls to travel to schools, as well as canteens to enable them to eat a square meal. Men and women in Mauritania were treated equally in the labour market and workplace. The Labour Code provided for equal pay for equal work. A plan was in place to ensure that gender mainstreaming was present across all policies. The Inter-ministerial Committee had met to discuss the issue of the rights of women and girls. The issue of female genital mutilation was a concern. The draft bill would address this issue, and would hopefully address the issues to stamp out this practice. A major awareness raising campaign had been rolled out with non-governmental organizations to encourage all women to come forward to stand for electoral posts. It was hoped this would allow the State to measurably increase the number of female candidates. The campaign would encourage women to express their interests in being candidates, as well as to vote. The campaign was also used to change the mindset of men, so they would realise the value of women in political posts. All political parties were required to submit parity lists with alternating male and female candidates. Mauritania ensured that gender equality was woven into the school curriculum to address gender stereotypes early on. Questions by Committee Experts A Committee Expert asked if there was a gender policy coming out of the Ministry? What was the capacity of the personnel under the national women’s machinery? Nothing had also been said about outreach to rural women. Another Committee Expert asked if there were affirmative actions for women aside from quotas? Responses by the Delegation The delegation said the National Observatory was fully independent and provided advice to parliament and civil society. Campaigns had been brought to the most remote areas to explain to the women living there what their rights were, and what legal recourse channels they could use. Mauritania had never had any discrimination in payment for men and women. Questions by a Committee Expert A Committee Expert congratulated Mauritania on the progress made in advancing women’s rights. The adoption of legislation which criminalised female genital mutilation was noted. In some parts of the country, up to 95 per cent of women and girls had undergone female genital mutilation. What was the timeline for the draft law providing comprehensive protection against gender-based violence? Could statistical data be provided on female genital mutilation in Mauritania in urban and rural areas? Could information on cases, including the punishment of perpetrators, be provided? What was the State doing to address the prevalence of the practice in the south and southeast of the country? Which actors were involved in the strategy to combat female genital mutilation and violence against women? Were harmful stereotypes addressed in this strategy? What was a result of the act to protect women against female genital mutilation? When would the State party align its legislation on sexual violence with international standards? What specific programmes were provided for the most vulnerable victims? Responses by the Delegation The delegation said the Government had developed a strategy for promoting the end of female genital mutilation through solemn public declarations by villages and regions where this was practiced that they would no longer perform it. Significant results in combatting female genital mutilation had already been achieved. The Government was cooperating with United Nations bodies and civil society to tackle these issues. Imams and doctors were involved in campaigns, and national and regional decisions confirmed the commitment of religious leaders to end female genital mutilation. The strategy had helped increase the number of people who could access information on mutilations, which had a positive impact on the ground. Female genital mutilation was a customary practice. Efforts aimed at raising awareness among women did not have the most impact in terms of bringing the figures down. The focus needed to be on girls to understand the impact of the awareness raising campaigns. Healthcare professionals had written a statement which highlighted the devastating impact the practice could have on the reproductive rights of girls and on childbirth. This had had a positive impact, as imams had been influenced by the doctors’ statement. The fact that the first draft bill had been withdrawn meant there was a transparent and open debate underway in the national assembly. All of society would be mobilised, and once a broad consensus was reached, the bill would be adopted. For the 15 to 49 age group, a significant reduction had already been achieved. While this was not sufficient, it gave grounds for hope. Comment and Questions by Committee Experts A Committee Expert said Mauritania should commit to eradicating the practice of female genital mutilation, and the Government should shoulder that responsibility. Another Committee Expert said the Committee was concerned that substantial results on the protection of women from trafficking had not been achieved. What were the main achievements of the trafficking in humans action plan? What measures would be put in place to counter trafficking? What were the measures taken by the State party to proactively screen for trafficking among vulnerable populations? What were the major actors involved in identifying cases of trafficking? How would the investigation, prosecution and punishment of traffickers be improved? What kind of redress was offered to victims? Responses by the Delegation and Follow-up Questions and Responses The delegation said the national action plan to counter human trafficking concluded in 2022 and was being updated. The legal arsenal to combat trafficking was in place. A national body was established to eradicate human trafficking and had begun compiling statistics on trafficking and slavery to create a database. Civil society and human rights defenders were being trained to recognise and document cases of human trafficking, as the recording of cases had previously been a shortcoming. A unit had been set up to monitor cases of trafficking. Since October 2022, 84 cases had been reviewed, and 40 had been prosecuted thanks to the new unit. The body responsible for tackling human trafficking was operational and had been able to take action in all cases under its mandate. This body worked in close cooperation with the monitoring unit. An outcome of this ensured all victims were identified and provided with necessary support. Since this architecture had been established, Mauritania’s response to human trafficking had vastly improved. Awareness raising campaigns on trafficking and migrant smuggling had also been rolled out across the entire country. A Committee Expert asked if the slave market in the country was closed down? Another Committee Expert asked about the penalties for traffickers, and complicity among family members? In response, the delegation said no such slave market had ever existed in Mauritania. Slavery was a considered a crime against humanity and anyone involved was sanctioned by the law. Any human traffickers were prosecuted. As of 2022, the Attorney General had carried out visits across the country, reminding local authorities on the importance of investigating trafficking cases. Questions by Committee Experts A Committee Expert said the Government had been implementing a programme to promote women’s participation since 2007. Could information be provided on the capacity of programmes targeting the increased participation of women? What steps had been taken to facilitate the participation of women and young girls as voters? What was being done to facilitate the participation of women living in rural areas in all levels of the government? Another Committee Expert asked about Mauritania’s procedures for the appointment of women to international tribunals? How were women leading in the Sustainable Development Goals dialogue on poverty and hunger? What was the role of women in the African Union? What were the gender perspectives mainstreamed in national and regional security? Were women included in multi-lateral dialogues? How were Mauritanian women leading the fishing industry at a global level? How did Mauritania ensure that a gender perspective was mainstreamed into all foreign policy initiatives? Were women leaders and academics involved in training the next generation of diplomats? How were women in diplomacy portrayed in the media? One Committee Expert said Mauritanian mothers could not pass their citizenship to their children at birth. Did the State party intend to amend its National Code to grant Mauritanian women equal rights with men, when it came to passing their citizenship to their children? Could information be received on stateless women in the State party? How were they adequately protected? Responses by the Delegation The delegation said following the amendment of the National Code, both a Mauritanian man and a Mauritanian woman could pass their citizenship to their children, or their foreign spouse. A child born to a Mauritanian mother abroad could choose Mauritanian nationality when they turned 17, and could also maintain the nationality of their country of birth. Mauritania had adopted a quota of 20 seats in Parliament which needed to be alternated between men and women. A quota was also set aside for young parliamentarians, with alternates for men and women on the list. There were six female Ministers currently in the 27-member cabinet. There were five women who served as Mauritanian Ambassadors abroad. There needed to be greater representation of women to ensure they were appointed to key diplomatic posts. The Special Rapporteur on Slavery had visited Mauritania and kept an open dialogue with the State party. Only two cases had been flagged by the Special Rapporteur, and these were being prosecuted. Although this was still too many, this was far from the idea people had of Mauritania that slavery was widespread. Mauritanian women were able to occupy all decision-making positions, including judges and ministers. The first female Foreign Minister in the region was a Mauritanian woman. Questions by a Committee Expert A Committee Expert commended the State party on advances made in education, particularly the innovative attempts made to incorporate girls into traditional male areas. It was impressive that girls learnt hunting. What was the budget for education? How had the State provided for the retention of girls in school, especially pregnant girls? How were sexual stereotypes being dealt with in textbooks? How many women had taken up technical and vocational training and in what subjects? What was the impact of initiatives on the school enrolment and retention of rural girls? What was the gender distribution of the educational workforce? What was the percentage of girls with disabilities involved in inclusive education? What steps were being taken to ensure that all children enrolled and participated in national exams? Education was the springboard for the total empowerment of women. Responses by the Delegation The delegation said the training for hunting referred to training for fishing, as it was important that women participated in this area. The voting methods which were adopted favoured the participation of women. The process of reform of public schools was underway. It was important to cultivate basic values in children so they could be free of stereotypes. The equality of men and women was promoted in schools and was a key component of the educational programme in public schools. There were 1,300 schools that were accessible to rural communities. School enrolment for girls had increased by 122 per cent between 2014 and 2019. There had been an increase in the budget of the Education Ministry. Priority education zones had been established in rural areas. The project to keep girls in school involved the distribution of brochures on information of what was taught in schools, and additional training for teachers. More than 2,000 community mentors provided support which benefited more than 6,000 adolescents. Questions by Committee Experts A Committee Expert was concerned about transition rates; 47 per cent of girls did not transition to secondary school level. The efforts by the State party were commendable but the figures still needed improvement. Another Expert said women faced unequal pay and did not have equal access to credit and bank loans. Were there plans by the Government to pass progressive decrees, including establishing the percentage allowance and raising the minimum wage, so that women had the right to legally enforce these provisions? What legal steps were being taken by the Government to enforce the existing progressive decrees to eliminate all forms of discrimination faced by women in Mauritania, which undermined their ability to equally participate in the employment sector? A Committee Expert asked about the implementation of the Health Act? What was the situation of selective abortion in Mauritania? What was the status of the maternal and infant mortality rates? When would sanctions on selective abortions be adopted? What had been done to combat forced sterilisation? When would the State party change legislation and support the rights of women to have a free choice to abortion? Responses by the Delegation and Follow-up Questions and Responses The delegation said Mauritania was developing a national health care plan. Mauritania had a law on sexual and reproductive health to prevent adverse health impacts between current and future generations. The law covered areas such as maternal health, health during pregnancy, and care for new-born babies. There was a focus on young people’s health and family health. Any person affected by HIV should be able to enjoy all their rights without discrimination. Seventy-six per cent of births in the country were assisted. There was a low percentage of children in Mauritania who were not vaccinated. There was no practice of deliberately aborting girl children in Mauritania. The concept of forced sterilisation did not exist in the country. Around 100,000 poor households in Mauritania were provided with free health insurance by the Government. Abortion occurred on medical grounds, and this was decided by medical personnel on a case-by-case basis. An Expert asked about the provision in the Penal Code which criminalised abortion? What steps would the Government take to ban “virginity tests” and penalise doctors who performed them? In response, the delegation said if abortion was required on medical grounds, it would be granted. Abortion was a crime in Mauritania, other than for medical reasons. Virginity tests did not exist in Mauritania. Questions by Committee Experts A Committee Expert commended Mauritania for the establishment of several initiatives contributing to women’s economic empowerment. Could the State party’s continued reservation on article 13 be elaborated on? Were there schemes which took into account women in rural areas and women with disabilities? What was the State party’s assessment of the poverty reduction strategy? What measures were in place to assess the impact of these programmes? What measures were in place to increase women’s access to industries such as fisheries? What measures were in place to improve women’s access to markets? What measures were in place to facilitate women’s access to land? Had the State party undertaken a collection of data on informal trade by women? Another Committee Expert asked if the national plan for rural women had been updated? Did it provide for appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas? What opportunities were available to enable rural and disadvantaged women to develop their skills? What climate action was the Government taking to ensure women were better protected from the impacts of climate change? What actions was the Government taking to support the work of women and women-led organizations? How many rural women accessed credit and micro services? Responses by the Delegation The delegation said rural women had been taken into account in a large number of programmes. More than 7,000 hectares of pastoral land had been restored by the Government. Grants had been provided to 5,800 women. Equipment was provided to 3,000 rural women, as well as training programmes which prioritised women’s participation. The plan of action for rural women was being implemented. There was an ambitious five-year plan to fight exclusion. The creation of a new health insurance programme was oriented towards extending health insurance in informal sectors, where many women were involved. The goal was to bring the coverage up to 100 per cent. The minimum wage had been doubled. Funding was provided to more than 1,000 employees in the area of fishing. Around 1,400 units of social housing were being built. Questions by a Committee Expert A Committee Expert asked for information on the current status of the amendments to the Personal Status Code? Did the form of consent for marriage also apply to men? What exceptions were taken into account to allow a minor to marry? What were considered damages in judicial practices and how were they assessed? Did this include spousal violence? How many women had been able to access divorce based on damages? Had there been a change in social attitudes towards early marriage, following the implementation of the national action plans? What measures had been taken to guarantee the registration of births? Responses by the Delegation The delegation said early marriage could be permitted if this was in the interest of the girl. The Personal Status Code was currently being amended and it was hoped that it would be updated while still respecting Islamic Sharia law. In Mauritania, a multi-sectoral commission had been established to implement the African programme against child marriage. Closing Remarks MOHAMED EL HABIB BAL, Permanent Representative of Mauritania to the United Nations Office at Geneva, thanked the members of the Committee for the comments and questions. Mauritania had come with great modesty to the Committee. Educating a woman was educating a nation. Women were at the centre of all enterprises. CHEIKH AHMEDOU SIDI, Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society of Mauritania and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the exchange which was interesting and important. Mauritania had made tremendous progress and the will to change was present. By the next dialogue with the Committee, Mauritania would have made many changes in the best interests of the country. ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Chair of the Committee, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee which provided further insight into the situation of women and girls in Mauritania. The Committee commended the State party and encouraged it to make all efforts to implement the Committee’s recommendations. Link: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/meeting-summary/2023/02/experts-committee-elimination-discrimination-against-women-2 ___________ Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; not an official record. 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