From 9 to 17 May 2010, WILDAF/Mali conducted throughout the country a national information campaign for a deeper understanding of the contents of the new Family Code by the populations.

The new Code, which has been adopted by the National Assembly of Mali in August 2009, has been returned to the Parliament by the Head of state for a second review under the pressure of the High Islamic Council and some Islamic associations, which found some of the provisions not in compliance with traditional and religious values. Bad and unfounded rumours circulated against the code in order to make people who are illiterate in majority to reject it.

WILDAF-Mali, becoming aware of the lack of information about this law, which is very important for men and women in Mali, has with its partners’ support (CAFO, GP / DCF, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women’s promotion, Children and Family) initiated an extensive campaign to inform people in the eight regional capitals of Mali on the contents of the new Code in order to facilitate its promulgation by the President of the Republic.

The objective of this campaign was:
 to organize and hold an information meeting for people on the contents of the draft new Family Code in every regional capital
 to put an end to misinformation and bad rumours about the Code

During the campaign, various delegations composed of representatives of women’s rights organizations exchanged directly with people and have lifted the veil on all bad rumours and misinformation about the Code. The pictures of these activities show that both men and women participated in the discussions regarding the new draft code.

Apart from these activities, WILDAF/Mali conducted a training for peer educators who will take over the work in the field.

Let us recall that the adoption of the new code had been welcomed by several women’s rights organizations, which found that this code represents a historic achievement in this country with a high majority of Muslims and vested the same inheritance rights to both men and women. Based on gender equality, the Family Code is the outcome of a long process which has begun since 1998, despite the opposition of some religious fundamentalists.