Mauritania

The country of Mauritania is an Islamic Republic located on the west coast of Africa in the Sahara Desert. It has a population of roughly four million people. The largest part of the Mauritanian terrain is located in the Sahara Desert. Due to decades of desertification many nomads were forced to abandon their traditional way of life to settle in the city. The majority of the people in Mauritania were nomadic until 1960, when they won their independence from France, and the capital city of Nouakchott was born. Now nearly two-thirds of the population lives in Nouakchott for most of the year.

Many in Nouakchott live as squatters without proper healthcare or food and have little-to-no access to clean water. Due to the high unemployment rate, the poorest of the city struggle to feed their children, let alone ensure their education. Most of the poor lack the opportunity for vocational skills training. The youth among the poor are vulnerable to petty crime and are easily influenced by corruption.

Prisoners of the country are among the most neglected in the society. Many of those incarcerated in the men’s, women’s and juvenile prisons are unaware of their rights, and the pre-trial detention rate is high. The Government of Mauritania has a strong interest in improving the state and effectiveness of the penal system. They are aware that a more effective system and assistance from the training programs of Noura will enhance their efforts in counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism in their otherwise very peaceful country.