The rights of women 290. In order to promote equality between men and women, the Malian authorities have made a lot of efforts to improve the legal status of women and eliminate discriminatory provisions against them, particularly by entering into many international and regional commitments and the adoption of various forms of national legislation. 291. By way of eliminating discriminatory provisions which hinder the effectiveness of the rights of women, several texts have been reviewed: the Criminal Code, the Nationality Code, the Commercial Code (authorisation from the husband is no longer necessary for a woman to trade), the General Tax Code (equality in the payment of taxes on salaries and emoluments), etc. Other texts such as the Labour Code would also be reviewed. 292. The strengthening of the legal protection of women within the family context is one of the objectives of the Code of Persons and the Family. This text aims at taking care of all aspects relating to marriage and guardianship, to nationality, matrimonial regimes, successions, donations, parenthood and civil status, including aspects relating to protection of the child and the family. It is intended to fill the numerous judicial vacuums found and to eliminate discriminatory provisions against women. 293. With regard to economic and social protection of women, many achievements have been recorded here and there through many projects and programmes initiated by the government or supported by the partners. 294. Since 2010, the Government has also established ten (10) centres for women and children with two (2) of them in Bamako and eight (8) in the regional capitals. It has also created twenty-three (23) women’s self-help centres in the circles. The women and children’s centres and the self-help centres have practically the same purpose, i.e. promoting women’s empowerment and development of children. 295. Concerning the participation of women in public and political life, actions have been taken to integrate the gender dimension in State institutions, in the area of their representation in decision-making bodies. 296. Mali has adopted action plans to fight against violence perpetrated against women and girls. Encouraging results have been recorded through the implementation of action plans. But the need to adopt a specific text on domestic violence is necessary to effectively address this phenomenon. 297. Concerning female circumcision which is violence perpetrated against women, in spite of the fact that the Constitution guarantees physical integrity of the individual and the Criminal Code makes related offences punishable, the practice still exists because the 61