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 AFROL
Gender Profiles:
Mali
Mali, located in the Sahelian zone, nominally is one of the
world's poorest countries - however much of the traditional, local
networks are intact. It has had a turbulent history, with various
dictatorships, socialist experiments, isolation from the outside
world, military coups d'état, civil war and social uprisings. Under
president Konaré, Mali seems to have found some stability. The
armed resource conflict between nomadic pastoralists and settled
cultivators has been mediated and with his active policy of
decentralisation, Konaré has demonstrated a will to development.
As Mali is a predominantly rural country, most women in Mali are subjected to traditional roles, especially
in these rural areas.
Violence against women, including wife beating, is tolerated and common.
At least 93,7% of women undergo the practice of Female Genital
Mutilation. Each woman averagely gives birth to 6,89 children (2000 est.)
Social data
Life expectancy: Total population: 46,66 years
male: 45,5 years
female: 47,85 years (2000 est.)
Alphabetization rate: Total population: 31%
male: 39,4%
female: 23,1% (1995 est.)
Medical services: 20% of the population have access to medical services.
(20.000 persons per doctor)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1,03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1,01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0,91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0,89 male(s)/female
total population: 0,95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Religious data: Muslim 65%, traditional African religions
33,6%, Christian 1,4%.
Note on religion: According to some statistics, up to 90% of the Malian population is Muslim. However, in big parts of Southern Mali, Islam just recently has gotten inpass. It is therefore a question of definition whether nominally Muslim groups, still mostly practising traditional religions, should be defined Muslim.
Family and tradition
There are numerous active women's groups that promote the rights of women and children. Women have very limited access to legal services. They are particularly vulnerable in cases of divorce, child custody, and inheritance rights, as well as in the general protection of civil rights.
Women often live under harsh conditions, especially in rural areas, where they perform difficult farm work and do most of the childbearing. Despite legislation giving women equal rights regarding property, traditional practice and ignorance of the law prevent women from taking full advantage of this reform.
Female Genital Mutilation is common, especially in rural areas, and is performed on girls at an early age.
Violence against women is tolerated and common.
Gender sensitivity in society
The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on social origin, color, language, sex, or race, and the Government respects these provisions in practice. However, social and cultural factors give men a dominant role.
Women's access to jobs in the professions and government, and to economic and educational opportunities traditionally has been limited. A 1995-96 national demographic and health survey found that 81 percent of women (compared with 69.3 percent of men) between the ages of 15 and 49 received no education. Women constitute 15 percent of the labor force. The Government, the country's major employer, pays women the same as men for similar work.
In 1996 the Government launched a 4-year national plan of action for the promotion of women. The plan, financed by national, regional, and local community budgets, seeks to reduce inequalities between men and women in six target areas, including education, health, and legal rights. Despite its initial 4-year mandate, the plan is not close to completion; however, it continues to influence government project development.
Health data
Access to potable water: 66%
Medical services: 20% of the population have access to medical services.
(20.000 persons per doctor)
Maternal mortality rate: 1.200/100.000
Infant mortality: 123,25 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): At least 93,7 percent of adult women have undergone this
mutilation (according to a 1995-96 national demographic and health survey).
Female genital mutilation, which is widely condemned by international health experts as damaging to both physical and psychological health, is still common, especially in rural areas, and is performed on girls at an early age. According to a 1995-96 national demographic and health survey, at least 93.7 percent of adult women have undergone this mutilation. The Government has not proposed legislation prohibiting FGM. The Government is pursuing a program of public awareness rather than legal prosecution of women involved in the practice. It supports educational efforts to eliminate the practice through seminars and conferences and provides media access to proponents of its elimination. In 1997 the Ministry for the Promotion of Women created a National Committee Against Violence Towards Women that links all the NGO's active in preventing FGM. Throughout the year, various NGO's campaigned against FGM and in October 1998, the National Committee adopted a draft action plan against sexual mutilation for submission to the Ministerial Council and after further revision was presented early in the year. The Ministerial Council accepted the recommendations and the Government instituted a two-phased plan to eliminate excision by 2008. The first phase, scheduled for 1999-2004, is one of education and dissemination of information. The second phase, scheduled for 2004-08 is projected to adopt legislation and legally enforce such ordinances.
Violence against women
Violence against women and children, including spousal abuse and female genital mutilation (FGM), is widespread. There were several serious incidents of societal violence related to political or ethnic tension.
Violence against women, including wife beating, is tolerated and common.
Main sources: U.S. Department of State, CIA,
UN, HRW, Mundo negro
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