Workshop on the Situation of Migrant Women and Girls in Mauritania

Today, Wednesday, a workshop was launched at Azalai Hotel in Nouakchott to present the results of a study on the situation of migrant women and girls in Mauritania, organized within the framework of the PROMIS project by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with the participation of representatives from government sectors, national bodies, UN system agencies, civil society organizations, and leaders and representatives of migrant communities.

The workshop aims to present the study’s findings and open a discussion with the relevant authorities regarding its recommendations, ensuring their adoption and contribution to their implementation. It also aims to share the study’s main outlines in terms of context, methodology, results, and conclusions, facilitate the exchange of views on work priorities, and determine possible commitments for implementing the recommendations.

The Assistant Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action, and Relations with Civil Society, Mr. Al-Rasul Ould Al-Khal, affirmed during his opening of the workshop that its organization comes in the context of increasing migration challenges, highlighting that Mauritania, due to its geographical location, is considered a country of origin, transit, and reception, which necessitates strengthening the protection of migrants’ rights, particularly women and girls in irregular situations.

He pointed out that the study, conducted in 2025 based on field missions including Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, and Rosso, constitutes an important analytical tool for understanding the reality of migrant women and girls, monitoring the challenges they face, and identifying their needs, within a human rights-based approach that considers the human dimension and is consistent with ongoing legal and institutional reforms, especially in the areas of combating human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and victim protection.

For his part, the representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mauritania, Mr. Djibo Mamadou, emphasized that this workshop falls within the framework of implementing the PROMIS project, which aims to strengthen a human rights-based response to trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling and the associated violations. He highlighted that the study demonstrates the efforts made to protect migrants, alongside the ongoing challenges faced by irregular migrant women and girls, and proposes practical recommendations to enhance prevention and protection and facilitate access to essential services.

For his part, the head of the parliamentary team responsible for migration and asylum, Mr. Zine El Abidine El Monir, stressed that this initiative reflects an advanced awareness of the humanitarian aspect of migration, affirming that Mauritania has adopted a humane and responsible approach based on respect for human rights and commitment to international agreements, calling for the study’s recommendations to be transformed into practical commitments that contribute to improving public policies and enhancing coordination among various stakeholders.