declaration along with supporting documents at the Ministry of Interior which then issues a notice of approval. This system promotes the right to freedom of association, to receive and use public funds or other contributions for human rights promotion and protection and contribute to the development of cultural expressions in Mauritania. - Right to education and quality training The Government has made efforts to guarantee access to education for all. In the field of training, the State took the initiative of providing human rights training for security and law enforcement officers. A module on cultural rights is integrated into all training programmes. Efforts deployed by the State and civil society to fight against illiteracy are also worth mentioning. - Participation of women and persons with disabilities in cultural life The State supports the promotion of women’s cultural rights through activities it organizes and support mechanisms in place to ensure their increased participation in cultural matters. Also, the multi-sectoral approach adopted by the public authorities has made it possible to ensure participation of persons with disabilities in cultural life. Part III: Implementation of the Maputo protocol Women make up 50.7% of the national population. They benefit from the rights provided for in the Maputo Protocol. Compliance with the provisions of this protocol are assessed in the present report. Presented pursuant to Article 26 of the Maputo Protocol, this initial report is prepared in accordance with Part B of the Guidelines for State reporting under the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the rights of women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). It comprises:  The preparation process (I);  Basic information (II);  Progress in the implementation of the provisions of the Protocol (III);  Implementation measures (IV);  Challenges faced in the implementation of the Protocol and corrective measures taken (V).  It shall be noted that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania accepts to implement all provisions of the Protocol which are not contrary to those of Sharia law, the unique source of law in the country. Reservations to provisions of the 47