Mauritania is a North African country, sitting on the Atlantic coast, bordering Morocco (Western Sahara), Algeria, Mali and Senegal. It has a small population of 3.4 million, who are officially 100 percent Muslim.

Slavery was abolished in Mauritania in 1981, but it was only made illegal to own a slave in 2007. The practice still exists today, though, with estimates on slave numbers varying from 100,000 to 600,000.

The existence of slavery is a stronghold in Mauritania, as is the mindset accompanying it. Many government officials seem to deny the enormity of the problem. Additionally, many slave owners and slaves themselves do not recognise the injustice of one person owning another. Some have lived in bondage for so long that they no longer recognise it as bondage.

For further information read an article by the New York Times or watch a Prayercast video.

How can we pray?

• Pray that slave owners would willingly free their slaves.
• Pray that the Mauritanian government would do a better job in tackling this widespread problem.
• Pray for better education about slavery and for adequate support for those who come out of it.
• Pray for the anti-slavery advocates within Mauritania to be safe and continue finding their voice internationally.
• Pray for those who have been freed from slavery, especially lifting up those who were born into it, knowing no other way of life. Pray that minds, bodies and souls would be freed!