voice from the field

Later this year, SOS Esclaves, will be presented with the Anti-Slavery Award in recognition of their ground-breaking and courageous work in combating slavery in Mauritania. Anti-Slavery's Gemma Wolfes takes a look back at their achievements in the face of such difficult circumstances.

SOS Esclaves formed in 1995 during a climate of extreme political sensitivity. At the time the military dictatorship aggressively denied that slavery even existed and the human rights campaigners were forced to work underground. Members faced harassment, threats of intimidation, ridicule, imprisonment, and sometimes even torture or death for speaking out openly against slavery.

Despite the personal dangers SOS Esclaves were resolute in their determination to eliminate slavery in their country and to bring an end to the daily experience of 18% of the population or more than 600,000 people, according to its own research.

Slavery in Mauritania is deep rooted and has existed for hundreds of years. Members of certain ethnic groups are assigned as a 'slave caste'. People born as slaves are bought and sold by their masters, forced to work without pay throughout their lives and subject to sustained violence and abuse.

SOS Esclaves fight to end the plight of women like Kheidama, who recently fled from her mistress to escape from a lifetime of abuse. "I was born a slave and my mother died a slave," she explains. "When we were all very small, me and my brothers and sisters were shared between the children of my mother's master.

"I looked after the family's herd of camels. I would work all day long without any rest. I was so completely exhausted that I became clumsy and would make silly mistakes. As punishment the youngest son of my mistress would insult and beat me. To frighten me I was sometimes forced down a well more than 100 metres deep."

The coup of August 2005 saw a change in attitude towards human rights abuses from the transitional government and SOS Esclaves were finally allowed to campaign openly.

Following on from the country's first ever democratic elections in 2007 the government of Mauritania finally criminalised slavery.

SOS Esclaves were instrumental in spearheading the movement for this legislation, leading with determination the campaign and debate with parliamentarians, the media and the public.

Alongside campaigning for change, SOS Esclaves has provided assistance to hundreds of people escaping slavery over the past decade.

The organisation has members situated throughout the country at local branches and is able to provide food and shelter to people like Kheidama after they flee their masters.

SOS Esclaves also assist former slaves to find work and accommodation, provide legal assistance and help reunite families by securing the release of loved ones still in slavery.
   
Boubacar Messaoud, co-founder of SOS Esclaves   However, the physical freedom from slavery is just the beginning of the road to emancipation. Deeply ingrained discriminatory attitudes mean it is very difficult in Mauritanian society for former slaves to escape the stigma of their social status.

People from slave castes suffer from degrading treatment, are not allowed to attend school and are prohibited from owning land or inheriting property - practices which render them powerless within society.

To combat the continuing discrimination SOS Esclaves lobby for state support to help deliver former slaves out of poverty. Micro credit schemes and access to land would assist former slaves to become economically independent, make choices for themselves, and rebuild their lives. SOS Esclaves also provides counselling support to help former slaves overcome the trauma of their experiences.

Despite recent progress the future holds many challenges. The Military coup d'état which ousted the elected President Abdallahi in August 2008 has brought political instability that severely threaten the achievements of the NGO over the past 14 years.

SOS Esclaves are being presented with the Award in honour of tireless fight to expose the realities of slavery and defend the rights of those enslaved. It is hoped that the Award will not only provide SOS with the recognition they deserve but will also increase visibility of the issue internationally in order for the hundreds of thousands of people still living in slavery to be able to seek freedom from this abuse.

The Anti-Slavery Award will be presented to SOS Esclaves later in the year. For further information or to register your interest in attending, please contact Gemma Wolfes at g.wolfes@antislavery.org or 020 7501 8936.
         
The Reporter is Anti-Slavery International's quarterly magazine. It is available to all members free of charge. By receiving the Reporter you will keep informed of the latest issues of slavery around the world, in-depth features and new developments in the fight to end slavery.