Mauritania and Slavery: Legal Abolition vs. Persistent Practice

Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1981 (last country to do so) and criminalized it in 2007. However, enforcement remains weak.

The 2018 Global Slavery Index estimated ~60,000 people (≈1% of population) still live in hereditary slavery—mostly Haratin (Black Moors) enslaved by Beydane (White Moors).

Activists face repression; slavery persists in rural areas, domestic work, and cattle herding. International pressure continues for genuine eradication.