Courtney Kidd LCSW

Courtney Kidd LCSW

Social Justice Solutions | Staff Writer
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The Last Slave State

By: Courtney Kidd, LMSW    SJS staff writer

In Mauritania, 10-20% of the country’s population is enslaved.  This western African country was the last in the world to criminalize slavery  in 1981, but has only prosecuted one case successfully.  Although illegal, slavery continues to flourish while the government facilitates the continuation.  A local organization, SOS Slaves, was started by a former slave owner and former slave in the hopes of freeing those within the bonds.  They are faced with a daunting task.  Government officials will exile or imprison anyone even found speaking of slavery and due to the long history of slavery, most slaves do not wish to be set free, they do not understand what freedom is.   

In a bone-chilling story about Moulkheir, an escaped slave who was beaten and raped throughout her life and lost her daughter to murder by her former slave owner, safety is not guaranteed.  It wasn’t until Moulkheir was “gifted” to another owner, and her daughter was also abused that she was finally convinced to leave.  It wasn’t just Moulkheir taking the risks though, the journalists had to enter the country on false pretenses, claiming to study locust patterns in the area.  They were constantly followed by government officials to ensure that slavery was not a topic discussed.  Most officials stated that “the phenomenon of slavery no longer exists.”  

The United Nations have provided a number of intervention alternatives to the country, none of which have been adopted.  For more about Moulkheir’s story, or the conception of SOS Slaves, read the full article here:

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/03/world/mauritania.slaverys.last.stronghold/index.html

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3 Comments

  1. zombidon December 17, 2012
  2. 97socialworker December 17, 2012
  3. Michael Serene December 17, 2012

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