The Family Code is a significant legal framework that governs family and personal matters in the West African nation of Mali .
84-504: The Malian family code resulted after many years of discussion within the Malian government, with the first codification of family law occurring in 1962, just two years after women were granted equal rights under Malian law in 1960. The Malian family code has implications for the societal treatment and expected behaviors of both sexes. The Family Code was structured in a way that allowed the government to legislate marriage relations and define
168-484: A bloodless military coup led by Moussa Traoré , a day which is now commemorated as Liberation Day . The subsequent military-led regime, with Traoré as president, attempted to reform the economy. His efforts were frustrated by political turmoil and a devastating drought from 1968 to 1974, in which famine killed thousands of people. The Traoré regime faced student unrest beginning in the late 1970s and three coup attempts. The Traoré regime repressed all dissenters until
252-420: A date set of 31 October 2021. Due to the 2021 Malian coup d'état it was indefinitely postponed, with plans for it to be held by 2024. It was later scheduled for 19 March 2023, but then postponed again. On 5 May 2023 the ruling junta announced in a decree that it would be held on 18 June. The new constitution was approved by 97% of the votes cast, for a turnout of 38% of registered voters, down slightly from
336-475: A debate over preserving traditional Islamic values or expanding rights for women in a way that was perceived as being more Westernized. Following the restructuring of the Family Code, women's rights were not expanded, but rather almost wholly eliminated, perpetuating the notion that women are subject to the whims of their husbands. When Mali's government implemented multiparty elections , there has been
420-479: A greater push for reforms in the existing Family Code to expand the protections of women under Malian law. Much of the debate surrounding changing the Family Code is a result of apparent conflicts between proposed amendments and traditional Islamic practices. The Malian governmental system defines itself as being secular , meaning the government should not intervene in religious institutions or practices. However, religious and cultural practices have great influences on
504-444: A large degree of pushback from the religious communities. There was also opposition on the groups that the new law only supported European ideals and not actual Malian ideology. The closest reform got to a successful expansion of women's rights was in the 2009 reform period. The initial discussion of this new legislation granted more rights to women and expanded freedoms. The National Assembly actually ended up adopting this version of
588-591: A master. In the Tuareg Rebellion of 2012 , ex-slaves were a vulnerable population with reports of some slaves being recaptured by their former masters. In January 2012 a Tuareg rebellion began in northern Mali, led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). In March, military officer Amadou Sanogo seized power in a coup d'état , citing Touré's failures in quelling
672-642: A military base in Kati , outside Bamako. On 7 June 2021, Mali's military commander Assimi Goïta was sworn into office as the new interim president. In 2022 and 2023, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara saw major gains in the Mali War , occupying large swathes of territory in southeastern Mali. Ansongo and Tidermène were also captured by the group. By mid-2023, the militant group had doubled
756-432: A minority of women who have been educated demonstrated strong support for the law. The largest driving force supporting the expanded female empowerment are the women who already have a greater capacity to interact with Mali's structural institutions given their greater degree of political knowledge. Another tension challenging the law is the argument that it violates important family and marital principles of Islam, generating
840-567: A part of French Sudan . In November 1915, a large anti-French uprising broke out among the tribes in the regions of present-day Mali and Burkina Faso. The last resistance was suppressed only in September 1916. During the suppression of the uprising, over 100 villages were destroyed by French colonial troops. On 24 November 1958, French Sudan (which changed its name to the Sudanese Republic) became an autonomous republic within
924-608: A public appearance in recently recaptured Timbuktu. In August 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was elected as the new president of Mali in the second round of the election . In the central Mali province of Mopti , conflict has escalated since 2015 between agricultural communities like the Dogon and the Bambara , and the pastoral Fula (or Fulani) people . Historically, the two sides have fought over access to land and water, factors which have been exacerbated by climate change as
SECTION 10
#17327728950081008-592: A renowned place of learning with its university , one of the oldest in the world and still active. The expanding Songhai Empire absorbed the empire in 1468, followed by a Saadian army which defeated the Songhai in 1591 . In the late 19th century, during the Scramble for Africa , France seized control of Mali, making it a part of French Sudan ; as the Sudanese Republic, a brief federation with Senegal
1092-488: A revised family code, socioeconomic status uniquely impacts support. Women who are more empowered economically are more statistically likely to support the versions of the code that expand female protections under the law. All of the driving factors for female support are tied to their ability to access political knowledge and engage within the governmental and societal structures that already exist. The wage gap that exists in Mali
1176-485: A second term in 1997, which was the last allowed under the constitution. Amadou Toumani Touré , a retired general who had been the leader of the military aspect of the 1991 democratic uprising, was elected in 2002. During this democratic period Mali was regarded as one of the most politically and socially stable countries in Africa. Slavery persists in Mali today with as many as 200,000 people held in direct servitude to
1260-468: A second-round run-off held on 11 August, and legislative elections were held on 24 November and 15 December 2013. In the early 2020s, Mali experienced two military takeovers by Assimi Goïta . The name Mali is taken from the name of the Mali Empire . It means "the place where the king lives" and carries a connotation of strength. Fourteenth-century Maghrebi traveller Ibn Battuta reported that
1344-410: Is a gap in enforcement and social practice. This has led to a lot of skepticism and distrust amongst individuals who feel that even with reform, the oppressive society will remain due to historical precedent and social norms. A key example of this dissonance is the fact that the Malian constitution explicitly states that men and women are equal, a principle that has persisted throughout governments; yet,
1428-412: Is due to structural factors and the inequality in both the occupational hierarchy and structure of wages. When looking at typical gender norms in countries of similar economic development to Mali, Mali is unique in the sense that it has much wider gender differences in education and type of employment. Even with education and higher socioeconomic status, the ability for a woman to participate in government
1512-416: Is still going to be maintained The debate over the bill included " civil society " groups in the first phase, and religious groups in the amendment phase. Women are largely impacted by the existence of the Family Code. These impacts are structural, economic, political, and social. The Family Code outlines the ways that women are able to interact with society. The Family Code also has major implications on
1596-437: Is still largely governed by the decisions of men. This is due to the cultural expectation, and Family Code legislation requiring female obedience to her husband. Women's freedom to participate in government was largely expanded with the introduction of gender quotas in 2016. Until then, women did not hold seats in government. Even with the establishment of quotas, not all women are able to participate in government because they lack
1680-479: The 24 March 2019 massacre of 160 Fula villagers . The group denied the attack, but afterwards Malian president Keita ordered the group to disband. The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng , warned of a growing ethnicization of the conflict. By 2020, more than 600,000 people had been displaced by the conflict in Mali. The United Nations reported that the number of children killed in
1764-639: The Battle of Tinzaouaten . On 5 August 2024 the Republic of Mali announced that it was severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine . On 17 September 2024, al-Qaeda linked JNIM militants attacked several locations across Bamako , killing at least 77 people and injuring 255 others. Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, located southwest of Algeria . It lies between latitudes 10° and 25°N , and longitudes 13°W and 5°E . Mali borders Algeria to
SECTION 20
#17327728950081848-524: The French Armed Forces intervened at the request of the interim government of president Dioncounda Traoré . On 30 January, the coordinated advance of the French and Malian troops claimed to have retaken the last remaining Islamist stronghold of Kidal, which was also the last of three northern provincial capitals. On 2 February, French president François Hollande joined Dioncounda Traoré in
1932-582: The French Community . In January 1959, Mali and Senegal united to become the Mali Federation . The Mali Federation gained independence from France on 20 June 1960. Senegal withdrew from the federation in August 1960, which allowed the Sudanese Republic to become the independent Republic of Mali on 22 September 1960, and that date is now the country's Independence Day . Modibo Keïta
2016-612: The Ghana Empire (for which Ghana is named), the Mali Empire (for which Mali is named), and the Songhai Empire . At its peak in 1300, the Mali Empire was the wealthiest country in Africa with its 14th-century emperor Mansa Musa believed to be one of the wealthiest individuals in history. Besides being a hub of trade and mining, medieval Mali was a centre of Islam , culture and knowledge, with Timbuktu becoming
2100-553: The Rally for Mali and Soumaïla Cissé of the Union for the Republic and Democracy , and Keïta was re-elected with 67% of the vote. In September 2018, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue negotiated a unilateral ceasefire with Dan Na Ambassagou "in the context of the conflict which opposes the group to other community armed groups in central Mali". However, the group has been blamed for
2184-537: The Soninke people , along the middle Niger River in central Mali, including Dia which began from around 900 BC, and reached its peak around 600 BC, and Djenne-Djenno , which lasted from around 300 BC to 900 AD. By the sixth century AD, the lucrative trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt and slaves had begun, facilitating the rise of West Africa's great empires. There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature. Among these are references to "Pene" and "Malal" in
2268-684: The Wagner Group executed around 300 civilian men in central Mali in March 2022. France had started withdrawing French troops from Mali in February 2022, commencing the end of Operation Barkhane . On 2 May, the military government announced breaking its defence accords concluded in 2013 with France, constituting an additional step in the deterioration of Malian–French relations. This latest announcement has been criticized by French authorities and considered as "illegitimate". A UN panel reported that in
2352-537: The establishment of sea routes by the European powers , the trans-Saharan trade routes lost significance. At that time, the Mali Empire's abundance in wealth expanded its commercial assets of salt and gold . One of the worst famines in the region's recorded history occurred in the 18th century. According to John Iliffe , "The worst crises were in the 1680s, when famine extended from the Senegambian coast to
2436-482: The secession of a new state, Azawad . The conflict was complicated by a military coup in March 2012 and later fighting between Tuareg and other rebel factions. In response to territorial gains, the French military launched Operation Serval in January 2013. A month later, Malian and French forces recaptured most of the north, although the conflict continued. Presidential elections were held on 28 July 2013, with
2520-627: The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in Banjul , an African women's rights groups called for the adoption of the bill, saying it "provides some crucial guarantees for Malian women's universal rights, [and] would constitute a fundamental first step towards bringing Malian laws into compliance with international and regional standards." The group cited Mali's ratification of the United Nations Convention on
2604-779: The Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1985, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa in 2005, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. It further said: "We are thus deeply concerned that the enactment of this legislation...is in suspense. Violations of Malian women's human rights are favored by this legislative gap. We stress
Malian Family Code - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-541: The Fula move into new areas. The Dogon and the Bambara communities have formed "self-defense groups" to fight the Fula. They accuse the Fula of working with armed Islamists linked to al-Qaeda . While some Fula have joined Islamist groups, Human Rights Watch reports that the links have been "exaggerated and instrumentalized by different actors for opportunistic ends". Added a top Mali military commander: I’ve discussed
2772-496: The March Revolution. In Bamako, in response to mass demonstrations organized by university students and later joined by trade unionists and others, soldiers opened fire indiscriminately on the nonviolent demonstrators. Riots broke out briefly following the shootings. Barricades as well as roadblocks were erected and Traoré declared a state of emergency and imposed a nightly curfew. Despite an estimated loss of 300 lives over
2856-626: The March and April parliamentary elections, including outrage against the kidnapping of opposition leader Soumaïla Cissé . Between 11 and 23 deaths followed protests that took place from 10 to 13 June. In July, President Keïta dissolved the constitutional court. Members of the military led by Colonel Assimi Goïta and Colonel-Major Ismaël Wagué in Kati , Koulikoro Region , began a mutiny on 18 August 2020. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé were arrested, and shortly after midnight Keïta announced his resignation, saying he did not want to see any bloodshed. Wagué announced
2940-455: The Sahara was fertile and rich in wildlife. Early ceramics have been discovered at the central Malian site of Ounjougou dating to about 9,400 BC, and are believed to represent an instance of the independent invention of pottery in the region. Farming took place by 5000 BC and iron was used by around 500 BC. In the first millennium BC, early cities and towns were created by Mande peoples related to
3024-466: The Upper Nile and 'many sold themselves for slaves, only to get a sustenance', and especially in 1738–1756, when West Africa's greatest recorded subsistence crisis, due to drought and locusts, reportedly killed half the population of Timbuktu ." Mali fell under the control of France during the Scramble for Africa in the late 19th century. By 1905, most of the area was under firm French control as
3108-454: The ability for women to own or inherit property. As it exists right now, women are granted access to land , but not the rights to own or control it. The African Court on Human and People's Rights determined that Mali's Family Code (as of 2018) violated not only women's rights but also the human rights of children. This determination was made after examining the fact that Mali's human rights laws actually had exceptions in place that allowed for
3192-453: The amount of territory it controlled since the overthrow of the previous government and establishment of the junta. On 10 January 2022, Mali announced the closure of its borders and recalled several ambassadors to ECOWAS countries in response to sanctions placed on Mali for deferring elections for four years. On 4 February, France's ambassador was expelled. According to Human Rights Watch , Malian troops and suspected Russian mercenaries from
3276-529: The bill raised the legal age for marriage to 18 and allowed divorce if a couple had lived apart for at least three years. A child born outside of marriage would also be entitled to a share of any inheritance. President Toumani Touré supported the bill, which was seen as a move toward secularism . The law was initially adopted by the National Assembly on August 3, 2009. During the NGO Forum of
3360-504: The capital of the empire was called Mali. One Mandinka tradition tells that the legendary first emperor Sundiata Keita changed himself into a hippopotamus upon his death in the Sankarani River and that it was possible to find villages in the area of this river called "old Mali". A study of Malian proverbs noted that in old Mali, there is a village called Malikoma, which means "New Mali", and that Mali could have formerly been
3444-437: The code went into hiding. President Touré reasserted that the struggle to pursue "the dual objective of promoting a wave of modernization while preserving the foundations of our society" would continue. He also said that failures to update and enforce the law "proves that societal change is not ordered by decree. [The] door of debate is still open." Mountaga Tall , an MP, said: "We demonstrated intellectual laziness in adopting
Malian Family Code - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-411: The conflict in the first six months of 2019 was twice as many for the entire year of 2018. Many of the children have been killed in intercommunal attacks attributed to ethnic militias, with the majority of attacks occurring around Mopti . It is reported that around 900 schools have closed down and that armed militias are recruiting children. During the first week of October 2019, two jihadist attacks in
3612-542: The construction and enforcement of Malian law. Notably, the Family Code relies on the application of religious practices and customary law in issues of family interactions, inheritance, and marriage. A large proportion of the Malian population is of Muslim faith, generating more widespread support for upholding Islamic practices. Many of these influences are grounded in Islamic principles, thereby creating an Islamic influence on
3696-435: The course of four days, nonviolent protesters continued to return to Bamako each day demanding the resignation of the dictatorial president and the implementation of democratic policies. 26 March 1991 is the day that marks the clash between military soldiers and peaceful demonstrating students which climaxed in the massacre of dozens under the orders of Traoré. He and three associates were later tried and convicted and received
3780-452: The death sentence for their part in the decision-making of that day. Nowadays, the day is a national holiday in order to remember the tragic events and the people who were killed. The coup is remembered as Mali's March Revolution of 1991 . By 26 March, the growing refusal of soldiers to fire into the largely nonviolent protesting crowds turned into a full-scale tumult, and resulted in thousands of soldiers putting down their arms and joining
3864-461: The drought. Peaceful student protests in January 1991 were brutally suppressed, with mass arrests and torture of leaders and participants. Scattered acts of rioting and vandalism of public buildings followed, but most actions by the dissidents remained nonviolent. From 22 March through 26 March 1991, mass pro-democracy rallies and a nationwide strike was held in both urban and rural communities, which became known as les évenements ("the events") or
3948-624: The first three months of 2022, 543 civilians were killed and 269 wounded, warning the 2015 peace agreement between the government and pro-independence groups was threatened by a potential risk of confrontation for the first time in five years. The report also noted a sharp increase in the number of people needing humanitarian assistance over the previous year. Sergey Lavrov , the Russian foreign minister, visited Bamako on 7 February 2023 and said that Moscow would continue to help Mali improve its military capabilities. In June 2023, Mali removed French,
4032-654: The formation of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) and promised elections in the future. A curfew was begun and the streets of Bamako were quiet. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemned the coup and demanded that Keïta be reinstated as president. On 12 September 2020, the CNSP agreed to an 18-month political transition to civilian rule. Shortly after, Bah N'daw
4116-424: The growing violence with my commanders and with village chiefs from all sides. Yes, sure, there are jihadists in this zone, but the real problem is banditry, animal theft, score settling – people are enriching themselves using the fight against terrorists as a cover. The conflict has seen the creation and growth of Dogon and Bambara militias. The government of Mali is suspected of supporting some of these groups under
4200-560: The guise of being proxies in the war against Islamists in the Northern Mali conflict . The government denies this. One such militia is the Dogon group Dan Na Ambassagou , created in 2016. In the 2018 Malian presidential election held on 29 July 2018, no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the first round. A runoff was held on 12 August 2018 between the top two candidates, incumbent president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta of
4284-418: The handover of power in September 2020. The tensions came to a head on 24 May 2021 after a cabinet reshuffle, where two leaders of the 2020 military coup – Sadio Camara and Modibo Kone – were replaced by N'daw's administration. Later that day, journalists reported that three key civilian leaders – President N'daw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and Defence Minister Souleymane Doucouré , were being detained in
SECTION 50
#17327728950084368-436: The highest authority on Islam in the country, was tabled. This new bill included the reintroduction of religious marriage, altered the previous version's enhancement of women's inheritance rights, and changed the recognition of an illegitimate child . Other amendments being proposed, despite being blocked in the initial version, include: However these three proposals have not been made a part of law, whereas religious marriage
4452-406: The institutions beyond their home village if they have received higher education and have a broader understanding of the political systems. These same women are the ones who support revisions to the Family Code that would challenge some of the original provisions and replace them with ones that grant more female rights and empowerment. Aside from education being a driving factor in female support for
4536-476: The language of its former colonizer, as an official language with the approval of a new constitution by 97% of voters in a referendum conducted by the junta. On 7 September 2023, al-Qaeda linked JNIM militants attacked a vessel on the Niger River , killing at least 154 civilians. In July 2024, CSP-DPA rebels and JNIM militants killed dozens of Russian mercenaries and Malian government forces during
4620-487: The last code so quickly. This time, the assembly will start from zero." As a result of public outcry, President Touré sent the bill back to parliament on August 27, 2009. "I have taken this decision to send the family code for a second reading to ensure calm and a peaceful society, and to obtain the support and understanding of our fellow citizens." An amended version, endorsed by the High Islamic Council ,
4704-524: The late 14th century, the Songhai gradually gained independence from the Mali Empire and expanded, ultimately subsuming the entire eastern portion of the Mali Empire. The Songhai Empire's eventual collapse was largely the result of the Moroccan invasion of 1591 under the command of Judar Pasha . The fall of the Songhai Empire marked the end of the region's role as a trading crossroads. Following
4788-482: The late 1980s. Opposition to the corrupt and dictatorial regime of General Moussa Traoré grew during the 1980s. During this time strict programs, imposed to satisfy demands of the International Monetary Fund, brought increased hardship upon the country's population, while elites close to the government supposedly lived in growing wealth. The government continued to attempt economic reforms, and
4872-408: The law does not reflect this equal standing. The most controversial areas of reform have been bride price, registration of marriage, number of wives, the obligation to obedience, choice of the site of residence, and inheritance . In all of these cases, the fundamental disagreement comes down to whether the Family Code should preserve Islamic Principles and maintain the status quo legislation or should
4956-407: The law. This is largely due to the fact that a number of Mali's laws are based largely on a combination of French and Islamic law with very diverse local laws. Specifically, many of the Islamic practices detailing marriage and family customs have been integrated into Mali's laws concerning the same issues, especially in areas of the state with traditionally Muslim leadership. Since the adoption of
5040-467: The law. Yet, widespread protests and backlash led to the bill being sent back and altered before officially passing. The version that ended up passing involved a lowering of the minimum marriage age and the reinstatement of the original obedience clause, stating that women have to obey the demands of their husbands. One of the largest hindrances to successful reform is the understanding that changes to legislation will not be implemented effectively when there
5124-539: The legislation be altered to give women more power and freedom in their actions. The proposed amendment would have recognised only civil marriages, while defining marriage as a secular institution, thus entitling a divorcee to a share of inheritance. Women would have also been allowed greater inheritance rights than what was stipulated by Shariah law , as they would not be required to obey their husbands. The "paternal power" would be replaced with "parental authority," and also said "no marriage can be renounced." Furthermore,
SECTION 60
#17327728950085208-584: The majority of inhabitants live, is in the Sudanian savanna and has the Niger and Senegal rivers running through it. The country's economy centres on agriculture and mining with its most prominent natural resources including gold (of which it is the third largest producer in Africa) and salt . Mali was part of three successive powerful and wealthy West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade :
5292-418: The man is the head of the family." Muslim leaders and other youth groups vowed to block the law and even threatened a campaign of violence. Threats against legislators, angry sermons, organised protest meetings and radio and television campaigns all attempted to rally opposition to the bill. Some Muslim leaders went so far as to call the law the work of the devil and against Islam . Tens of thousands marched in
5376-543: The means and ability to do so. Mali Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in West Africa . It is the eighth-largest country in Africa , with an area of over 1,240,192 square kilometres (478,841 sq mi). The country is bordered to the north by Algeria , to the east by Niger , to the northwest by Mauritania , to the south by Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast , and to
5460-583: The name of a city. Another theory suggests that Mali is a Fulani pronunciation of the name of the Mande peoples . It is suggested that a sound shift led to the change, whereby in Fulani the alveolar segment /nd/ shifts to /l/ and the terminal vowel denasalizes and raises, leading "Manden" to shift to /mali/ . The rock art in the Sahara suggests that northern Mali has been inhabited since 10,000 BC, when
5544-525: The north-northeast , Niger to the east , Burkina Faso to the south-east , Ivory Coast to the south , Guinea to the south-west , and Senegal to the west and Mauritania to the north-west . 2021 Malian constitutional referendum A constitutional referendum was held in Mali on 18 June 2023. It was initially scheduled for 9 July 2017. However, in late June 2017 it was postponed with no date set, before being revived in mid-April 2021, with
5628-413: The original Family Code, there has been a push for reforming the family code in an effort to provide women and children with more equal protection under the law. The argumentation over certain amendments within the code and the push for reform has been an ongoing debate that shows no signs of slowing down. Within the proposed reform to the law, women are no longer bound by law to obey their husbands, but only
5712-521: The populace became increasingly dissatisfied. In response to growing demands for multi-party democracy, the Traoré regime allowed some limited political liberalization in the late 1980s, but refused to usher in a full-fledged democratic system. In 1990, cohesive opposition movements began to emerge, and was complicated by the turbulent rise of ethnic violence in the north following the return of many Tuaregs who had migrated to Algeria and Libya during
5796-510: The pro-democracy movement. That afternoon, Lieutenant Colonel Amadou Toumani Touré announced on the radio that he had arrested the dictatorial president, Moussa Traoré. Opposition parties were legalized, a transitional government was formed and a national congress of civil and political groups met to draft a new democratic constitution to be approved by a national referendum. In 1992, Alpha Oumar Konaré won Mali's first democratic, multi-party presidential election, before being re-elected for
5880-695: The rebellion, and leading to sanctions and an embargo by the Economic Community of West African States . The MNLA quickly took control of the north, declaring its independence as Azawad . However, Islamist groups, including Ansar Dine and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) , who had helped the MNLA defeat the government, turned on the Tuareg and took control of the north with the goal of implementing sharia in Mali. On 11 January 2013,
5964-746: The rights of women and upholding the principle of female equality established in the Malian Constitution. The Government of Mali has favored laws that uphold the constitutionally established principles of equality. However, those principles do not directly translate to the amendments that exist within the Family Code. Women have been largely driving forces to revisions in the Family Code, specifically as it relates to expanding their societal capacities and protections. These efforts have been undertaken by many different women's rights activists and educated individuals. A correlation has been noted that women in Mali are more likely to be able to engage with
6048-545: The streets to protest the law. In one such demonstration, 50,000 people rallied amidst calls that the bill was "an insult to the Koran." Some women's groups were also opposed to the law. The president of the National Union of Muslim Women said that "only a tiny minority of woman here who want this new law. The poor and illiterate women of this country, the real Muslims, are against it". One imam who spoke in support of
6132-856: The towns of Boulikessi and Mondoro killed more than 25 Mali soldiers near the border with Burkina Faso . President Keïta declared that "no military coup will prevail in Mali", continuing by saying that he does not think it "is on the agenda at all and cannot worry us". On 1 November 2019, the IS-GS militants killed at least 50 soldiers in the 2019 Indelimane attack in the Ménaka Region of Mali. In February 2020, Human Rights Watch documented atrocities against civilians in Central Mali and said that at least 456 civilians were killed, while hundreds were injured from January 2019 until November. Popular unrest began on 5 June 2020 following irregularities in
6216-436: The treatment of women in society. Since the initial implementation, efforts have been undertaken to change and modify the family code, with the first reform effort being initiated in 1999. The initial reform worked to expand the rights granted to women under the protection of the law, but conservative pushback resulted in the failure of that law to pass and the necessity for revisions. The reform efforts ultimately boiled down to
6300-407: The upper Niger River , and reached the height of power in the 14th century. Under the Mali Empire, the ancient cities of Djenné and Timbuktu were centers of both trade and Islamic learning. The empire later declined as a result of internal intrigue, ultimately being supplanted by the Songhai Empire . The Songhai had long been a major power in West Africa subject to the Mali Empire's rule. In
6384-473: The urgent need to adopt such a code...by ensuring that the second reading takes place without further delay and that the Family Code is enacted in its present form, without weakening of any of its provisions." Mamadou Diamouténé, the head of a task group from the council, said that without the recommended changes, the bill would be "open road to debauchery. It is not that anyone can go wherever she wishes without her husband’s approval, because we cannot forget that
6468-507: The violation of human rights in times of emergency. Another determined violation included the age of marriage for girls, which in Mali was 16 while it was 18 according to the African Children's Charter. This case was incredibly notable because it is the first time that this court has actually determined a country to be in violation of the various human rights charters in place. Many of the revision efforts place emphasis on expanding
6552-701: The vote on the 1992 text. On 22 July the Constitutional Court certified the results and declared the new constitution to be in force. Proposed amendements to the constitution included the following: The referendum was supported by the Union for the Republic and Democracy and the Democratic Alliance for Peace , while part of the opposition (including the Convergence for the Development of Mali ) opposed it, noting that under
6636-463: The west by Guinea and Senegal . The population of Mali is 24,478,595, 47.19% of which are estimated to be under the age of 15 in 2024. Its capital and largest city is Bamako . The country has 13 official languages, of which Bambara is the most commonly spoken. The sovereign state 's northern borders reach deep into the middle of the Sahara Desert . The country's southern part, where
6720-534: The work of al-Bakri in 1068, the story of the conversion of an early ruler, known to Ibn Khaldun (by 1397) as Barmandana, and a few geographical details in the work of al-Idrisi . Mali was once part of three famed West African empires which controlled trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, other precious commodities, and slaves majorly during the reign of Mansa Musa from c. 1312 – c. 1337. These Sahelian kingdoms had neither rigid geopolitical boundaries nor rigid ethnic identities. The earliest of these empires
6804-502: Was elected the first president. He quickly established a one-party state, adopted an independent African and socialist orientation with close ties to the East, and implemented extensive nationalization of economic resources. In 1960, the population of Mali was reported to be about 4.1 million. On 19 November 1968, following progressive economic decline, the Keïta regime was overthrown in
6888-463: Was formed, achieving independence in 1960. After Senegal's withdrawal, the Republic of Mali was established. After a long period of one-party rule, a coup in 1991 led to a new constitution and the establishment of Mali as a democratic, multi-party state. In January 2012, an armed conflict broke out in northern Mali , in which Tuareg rebels took control of a territory in the north, and in April declared
6972-403: Was named interim president by a group of 17 electors, with Goïta being appointed vice president. The government was inaugurated on 25 September 2020. On 18 January 2021, the transitional government announced that the CNSP had been disbanded, almost four months after had been promised under the initial agreement. Tensions between the civilian transitional government and the military ran high after
7056-604: Was the Ghana Empire , which was dominated by the Soninke , a Mande -speaking people. The empire expanded throughout West Africa from the eighth century until 1078, when it was conquered by the Almoravids . The Battle of Kirina in 1235, culminated in a victory for the Mandinka under the command of the exiled prince Sundiata Keita , which led to the downfall of the Sosso Empire . The Mali Empire later formed on
#7992