Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Mauritania (Ratification: 1961)
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 - Mauritania (Ratification: 2016)

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Trafficking in persons. The Committee notes the Government’s reference in its report to the adoption of Act No. 2020-017 of 6 August 2020 on the prevention and suppression of trafficking in persons and the protection of victims. It notes that the Act defines the elements which constitute the crime of trafficking in persons for both labour and sexual exploitation, establishes the applicable criminal penalties, establishes the framework for victim protection and assistance, and also provides for the promotion of national coordination and international cooperation in action against trafficking in persons. The Government also refers to the setting up of the national authority to combat trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling (Decree No. 2022-102 of 5 July 2022). In this regard, the Committee notes that this authority will be responsible for formulating and implementing strategies and programmes for combating trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling, with the particular task of: coordinating actions to implement victim protection measures and victim assistance mechanisms; receiving reports of cases of trafficking in persons and forwarding them to the judicial authorities; and establishing and coordinating machinery for the identification, care and protection of victims of trafficking and migrant smuggling. Decree No. 2022-102 also stipulates that the national authority will publish an annual report on its activities.

The Committee notes with interest the reinforcement of the legislative and institutional framework for combating trafficking in persons and requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to implement it. The Committee hopes that the national authority for combating trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling will be allocated the necessary resources to perform its functions and requests the Government to indicate whether a strategy or plan to combat trafficking has been formulated. In the meantime, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the prevention and awareness-raising measures taken and on those aimed at providing adequate protection for victims. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the number of cases of trafficking identified, investigations undertaken, prosecutions in progress and convictions handed down on the basis of Act No. 2020-017.