Tenacious Slavery in Mauritania

A Chicago-based political campaign strategist and communications executive, Sean Tenner has successfully managed grassroots advocacy campaigns for legislators at the federal and state levels. Since 2008, he has served as the president of KNI Communications. Sean Tenner is also a co-founder of The Abolition Institute, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the abolition of slavery in Mauritania.

United States-based organizations have played cardinal roles in the anti-slavery efforts in Mauritania. Mauritania’s history of slavery can be traced back to the 8th century. Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 but didn’t categorize the activity as a criminal offense until 2007. Despite the establishment of anti-slavery laws, tens of thousands of people are enslaved in the country.

One of the US-based proponents of anti-slavery efforts in Mauritania is the Abolition Institute. A Chicago-based organization, The Abolition Institute, was established in 2007 to respond to a contemporary, groundbreaking CNN report, “Slavery’s Last Stronghold,” which reveals the rifeness of slavery in the country despite federal abolishment. As of 2021, roughly 90,000 Haratines are enslaved in Mauritania.

Anti-Slavery Initiatives in Mauritania

Sean Tenner, an advocacy consultant based in Chicago, is the head of KNI Communications and works with organizations and foundations on public health and human rights topics. Together with other US human rights activists, Sean Tenner established the Abolition Institute in 2013, a group devoted to eradicating slavery in Mauritania, a West African nation.

While slavery is no longer a problem in most countries worldwide, Mauritania remains one of the few nations where this injustice persists, despite the country legally abolishing it in 1981. According to the Forest Park Review website, about 90,000 Haratines, an ethnic group in Mauritania, remain enslaved, with access to healthcare for members of this group also not being the same as other Mauritanians.

The Abolition Institute, partnering with SOS-Esclaves, a local anti-slavery organization in Mauritania, has fought to free people from slavery and give them a new life as free citizens. The group offers financial assistance, accommodation, and education to support those freed from slavery. It also provide the members of SOS-Esclaves with training to better equip them to help persons fleeing slavery.

Additionally, the Abolition Institute strives to enforce the anti-slavery law by providing legal aid to prosecute those involved in slavery, despite their domination of the judiciary and law enforcement system. However, while these efforts have succeeded to some extent, more still needs to be done to completely abolish slavery in the country.

2022 Mauritania UN Visit to Fuel 2023 Human Rights Council Report

An experienced communications leader in Chicago, Illinois, Sean Tenner has served as president of KNI Communication since 2008. He co-founded the charitable nonprofit the Abolition Institute. Under the leadership of Sean Tenner, the Abolition Institute opposes human slavery in the African country of Mauritania.

Throughout history, few organizations have done more to combat slavery worldwide than the United Nations (UN). In May of 2022, a UN team under the leadership of special rapporteur Tomoya Obokata traveled to Mauritania for a 10-day visit. The team assessed the prevalence of slavery and the political and socioeconomic conditions of people in traditionally enslaved ethnic groups.

Obokata will release a report detailing the trip to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2023. However, he has already shared some of his insights in a public statement. He praised Mauritania officials’ progress in fighting slavery in the legal and political arenas. He also saw many obstacles to abolishing slavery and urged swift action to better implement anti-slavery policies.

Dog Sledding in Greenland – Helpful Tips

A Chicago-based senior executive with over two decades of experience spearheading advocacy groups, NGOs, and political campaigns, Sean Tenner has served as the president of KNI Communications since 2008. In this role, he assists nonprofits in raising awareness of their concerns. In addition, Sean Tenner is an enthusiastic traveler who has been to the northernmost settlement in the world, Siorapaluk, Greenland.

Greenland was first inhabited 4,500 years ago by nomads who moved to the region after seeking respite across Canada. About 500 years later, the early populations in Greenland traveled around the Arctic climate of Greenland to hunt by maneuvering sleds pulled by one or more dogs on ice. This activity is called dog sledding.

Dog sledding helped the early inhabitants of Greenland survive in their new home. In the modern world, the use of sled dogs for fishing and hunting in Greenland has declined. Mostly, locals and visitors in Greenland participate in dogsledding for fun. People from various parts of the world visit Greenland for a dog sledding tour to observe the glacier landscape in the region using old-school means (since snowmobiling is a modern alternative). Sisimiut, Kangerlussuaq, and Ilulissat are Greenland’s top dog sledding destinations.

Dog sledding is only possible in Greenland during winter when there is frequent snow precipitation. The ice that lines roads connects towns without a break, so there’s an ample expedition option (a couple of hours to days). Depending on a visitor’s schedule, they may complete the activity in a day or make arrangements with their tour operators for camping. Some tour operators require tourists to be actively involved in food preparation to feed the dogs and sled load up. Using sunscreen during the trip is ideal for protecting the skin from sun rays and snow-reflected light.