Family
Code des personnes et de la famille 2011, which retained polygamy after clerical opposition
Loi n° 2011-087 followed the withdrawal of a more liberal 2009 draft after mass protests led by Islamic associations. The enacted Code retains polygamy, sets marriage age at 18 for men and 16 for women, and requires wives to obey their husbands.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Tribunal de grande instance in family matters; registered religious marriage has civil effect.
- Deadline — Birth registration: 30 days
- Deadline — Marriage: celebrated civilly or religiously, with religious marriage given civil effect
Governing law
- Loi n° 2011-087 du 30 décembre 2011 portant Code des personnes et de la famille
- Loi n° 2012-023 relative à la lutte contre la traite des personnes
In practice
Mali's 2011 Code is the clearest case in the region of family-law reform being reversed by organised religious opposition. The 2009 version raised the marriage age to 18 for both sexes, removed the wife's duty of obedience and equalised inheritance; after protests the President returned it to parliament, and the 2011 text restored the more conservative rules and gave religious marriage direct civil effect.