“Slavery by ancestry, now recognized as an offense in Mali’s new criminal procedure code, constitutes historic progress in the fight against a practice that denies human dignity. But this victory must not mask a reality: a law , without rigorous application, remains a meaningless text. The example of Mauritania, where slavery persists despite a decades-old legal ban, warns us against inaction.
In Mauritania, slavery was officially abolished in 1981, making it the last country in the world to take this step. However, it was not until 2007 that a law explicitly criminalizing this practice was adopted, providing sanctions for perpetrators of slavery-like acts. In 2015, this legislation was strengthened: slavery was reclassified as a “crime against humanity”, and the penalties were increased for those responsible. Despite these advances, application remains weak. Victims continue to denounce obstacles to access to justice, social pressures, and sometimes even the complicity of certain local officials.
Adopting a law means laying the foundations. Making this scourge disappear is a whole other challenge. Malian justice must live up to this mission. Magistrates, the first line of defense against impunity, must be trained to treat these offenses with all the seriousness they deserve. The perpetrators of acts of slavery must be prosecuted and heavily punished, without exception.
But repression alone will not be enough. Victims must be protected, supported and rehabilitated. Without support, they risk falling back into situations of dependency. At the same time, immense awareness-raising work must be carried out to break the invisible chains of mentalities, often still prisoners of oppressive traditions.
Slavery by ancestry is not just a crime; it is a shame for any society that tolerates it. Mali must learn lessons from the Mauritanian experience to prevent this new law from remaining a dead letter. This text must become a real tool of justice and hope for the victims. History will judge us not by the laws we adopt, but by the actions we take to uphold them. It is time to act, and to act decisively.
Let’s be vigilant!”
Boubacar Demba N’Djim
