Female activist becomes first Mauritanian shortlisted for Nobel Prize

Human rights activists are launching a campaign to support female Mauritanian activist Aminetou Mint Moctar, who has been shortlisted for the 2015 Nobel peace prize, according to Al Arabiya.net.

The campaign aims to gather international support for the Mauritanian candidate.

A series of meetings took place in the French capital to set a plan for the campaign and determine a special support committee to oversee it.

Negotiations are still under way with various prominent Mauritanians to chair the support committee.

Moctar’s nomination makes her the first Mauritanian to be on the prestigious list. If she wins the prize, she will become the fourth African female to receive the award.

According to Al Arabiya’s correspondent in Mauritania, the activist was shortlisted for her fight against domestic servitude and other forms of trafficking.

Moctar has contributed to change the election law and allow women to get twenty percent of the election posts.

She was also awarded several prizes including France’s human rights prize in 2006 and a special prize from the U.S. foreign ministry in 2010.