PART ONE: THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS I. POSITIVE FACTORS Obligation of Reporting and Cooperation with the Commission 8. The Commission: i. Commends Mauritania for the political will demonstrated by the Government for the regular submission of its periodic reports. ii. Notes with satisfaction the inclusive and participatory approach adopted in preparing the report, in particular by establishing an inter-ministerial technical Committee in charge of preparing reports, which includes all departments at the Ministries, the National Human Rights Commission, the Mediator of the Republic, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mauritania with Observer status, as well as the involvement of Non-governmental Organisations or independent bodies in the process of preparing and validating this report. iii. Commends the measures taken by the government towards the implementation of the recommendations made by the Commission following the consideration of its preliminary report at the 31st Ordinary Session held from 2-16 May, 2002 in Pretoria, in particular by disseminating the Concluding Observations to the population and the different stakeholders including the measures taken towards the eradication of the effects and contemporary forms of slavery and the repatriation of Mauritanian refugees from Senegal. Ratification of regional/international human rights instruments 9. The Commission commends Mauritania for ratifying the following texts and instruments: At the regional level - The Protocol on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (2005) - The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (2005) - The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2005) - The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (2005). - The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2008) - African Youth Charter (2012) - African Union Convention for the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons in Africa (Kampala Convention) (2015) 3