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 AFROL
Gender Profiles:
Djibouti
The small Republic of Djibouti has experienced remarkable peace and
tranquility since independence in 1977, in the middle of a turbulent region. The
relative ethnical and religious homogeneity of the country probably has contributed
to this fact. Djibouti is Muslim (95%), but local, populist interpretations of
Islam dominate, making non-Islamic practices such as female genital mutilation
almost universal. Not much weight is given to women's rights in practical terms,
neither by society at large nor by the Government.
Customary law, which is based on Shari 'a (Islamic law), discriminates against women in such areas as inheritance, divorce, and travel.
Only 32 percent of girls are literate compared with 60 percent of boys.
The Government is concerned about the problem of rape. In almost all the cases of the rape of Afar women by soldiers in recent years, the victims did not press charges due to shame and fear.
Violence against women normally is dealt with within the family or clan structure rather than in the courts. The police rarely intervene in domestic violence incidents, and the media report only the most extreme examples, such as murder.
The Government of Djibouti has not addressed child abuse, which often is punished
lightly. When a child is raped or abused, the perpetrator usually is fined an amount sufficient to cover the child's medical care.
About 98% of girls undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Each woman in Djibouti averagely gives birth to 5,8 children (2000 est.)
Social data
Life expectancy: Total population: 50,82 years
male: 49,01 years
female: 52,68 years (2000 est.)
Infant mortality: 103,32 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Alphabetization rate: Total population: 46,2%
male: 60,3%
female: 32,7% (1995 est.)
Medical services: 37% of the population have access to medical
services. There are approximately 5.000 persons per doctor.
Sex ratio: at birth: 1,03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1,12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1,08 male(s)/female
total population: 1,07 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Religious data: Traditional African religions 3,57%, Muslim
95%, Christians 1,43%.
Family and tradition
Customary law, which is based on Shari' a (Islamic law), discriminates against women in such areas as inheritance, divorce, and travel. Male children inherit larger percentages of an estate than do female children. Women are not permitted to travel without the permission of an adult male relative. The few educated women increasingly turn to the regular courts to defend their interests.
The tradition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is
deeply rooted in this country. About 98% of girls undergo this
procedure. FGM traditionally is performed on girls between the ages of 7 and 10.
Gender sensitivity in society
The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of language, race, sex, or religion; however, discrimination against women and ethnic minorities persists. In particular, the Government's enforcement of laws to protect women and children is weak.
Women legally possess full civil rights, but custom and traditional societal discrimination in education dictate that they play a secondary role in public life and have fewer employment opportunities than men. Few women work in managerial and professional positions; women largely are confined to trade and secretarial fields.
More than 53 percent of the population is illiterate: only 32 percent of girls are literate compared with 60 percent of boys. Only 62 percent of girls attend primary school compared with 73 percent of boys, and only 23 percent of girls attend secondary school compared with 33 percent of boys. Girls made up only 36 percent of all secondary students. The Government in November reaffirmed its 1998 commitment to increase the number of female students in the educational system to 50 percent, and significant progress was made toward this goal in the primary grades.
Health data
Access to potable water: 90% of the population have access to potable
water.
Medical services: 37% of the population have access to medical
services. There are approximately 5.000 persons per doctor.
Maternal mortality rate: N.A.
Infant mortality: 103,32 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): About 98% of females undergo this
practice.
According to a recent report, as many as 98 percent of females age 7 or older have undergone female genital mutilation, which is widely condemned by international health experts as damaging to both physical and psychological health. FGM traditionally is performed on girls between the ages of 7 and 10. In 1988 the Union of Djiboutian Women (UNFD) began an educational campaign against infibulation, the most extensive and dangerous form of FGM. The campaign has had only a limited impact on the prevalence of this custom, particularly in rural areas, where it is pervasive. After the 1995 U.N. Women's Conference in Cairo, Egypt, the UNFD declared that all forms of mutilation should be forbidden. The revised Penal Code that went into effect in 1995 states that "violence causing genital mutilation" is punishable by 5 years' imprisonment and a fine of over $5,650 (1 million DF). However, the Government has not yet convicted anyone under this statute. The efforts of the UNFD and other groups appeared to be having some effect, at least in the capital city. In 1997 some health workers reported a precipitous drop in the number of hospitalizations related to FGM in Djibouti City. Many believe that the incidence of the most extreme procedure, infibulation, has decreased, although no systematic data
are available on the problem. U.N. and other experts believe that lesser forms of FGM still
are widely practiced and that infibulation still is common in rural areas.
Violence against women
Violence against women exists but reported cases are few. The Government has been concerned about the problem of rape, and the 1995 revised Penal Code includes sentences of up to 20 years' imprisonment for rapists. More than 80 such cases were tried during the year, but only a few led to conviction. Violence against women normally is dealt with within the family or clan structure rather than in the courts. The police rarely intervene in domestic violence incidents, and the media report only the most extreme examples, such as murder. In almost all the cases of the rape of Afar women by soldiers in recent years, the victims did not press charges due to shame and fear.
Child abuse exists, but is not thought to be common. The Government has not addressed child abuse, which often is punished lightly; for example, when a child is raped or abused, the perpetrator usually is fined an amount sufficient to cover the child's medical care. The Government has not used applicable existing provisions of the Penal Code to deal with child abuse more severely.
Main sources: U.S. Department of State, CIA,
Mundo negro
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