Mauritania: Challenges in Human Trafficking, Corruption, Organized Crime, and Beyond

===========================================================

Mauritania faces significant challenges in various areas, including human trafficking, corruption, organized crime, criminal justice, security, economic environment, civil society, and social protection. Here are some key points highlighting these issues:

Human Trafficking

Victims often lack access to justice and support programs.
The government has limited victim and witness support initiatives.
Criminalization of sexual relations outside of marriage hinders support for victims of trafficking and sexual assault.
Fishing vessels and processing plants are rarely inspected, despite reports of abuses and potential trafficking indicators.

Corruption

Corruption remains a contentious issue in Mauritania, with the country ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
The government has been criticized for its lack of response to demands by opposition members of parliament to dismiss officials implicated in financial irregularities.
Corruption poses a significant challenge to the country’s development, especially since more than a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line.

Organized Crime

The country’s security system is weak, with some law enforcement officials facilitating organized criminal activities.
Gang activity is a concern in prisons, and reports of torture at the hands of state officials are common.
Border control efforts focus primarily on counter-terrorism rather than on organized crime.

Criminal Justice

The Mauritanian justice system is heavily influenced by the government, and few government officials accused of corruption have been prosecuted or convicted.
Violence, inadequate sanitary conditions, lack of medical care, and indefinite pretrial detention make prisons and detention centers dangerous for inmates.

Economic Environment

Mauritania’s informal sector and underdeveloped financial infrastructure make it difficult to detect money laundering.
Anti-money laundering legislation exist, but enforcement is difficult.
The economy relies heavily on mineral exports, particularly iron, and on fisheries, agriculture, and livestock.

Civil Society

Civil society is heavily constrained by the country’s regime and intimidated by security forces.
Authorities use repressive laws to prosecute and imprison human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and bloggers.
Recent positive developments include a simplified registration process for NGOs and the resurrection of the abolitionist movement known as the ‘Era’ movement.

Victims of trafficking often lack access to justice and support programs.
The government’s victim and witness support initiatives are limited.
Criminalization of sexual relations outside of marriage hinders support for victims of trafficking and sexual assault.