Manden Charter: as early as the 13th century, the Mali Empire defined human rights

Our embassy in Dakar (Senegal), together with the Benelux embassies and Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI), hosted an exhibition on the 13th-century Manden Charter, one of the earliest references to human rights. Human rights are more universal than you might think.

After the horrors of World War II, the world was determined to take a new direction. The pinnacle of that effort was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by the fledgling United Nations in 1948. To this day, it remains a milestone and a beacon for (international) law.
 

A charter for peaceful coexistence

But did you know that humanity had already defined human rights much earlier? As early as the 13th century, Soundjata Keita – founder of the Mali Empire – issued the Manden Charter.

This empire stretched across parts of what are now Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mauritania. To ensure good relations between the various ethnic groups and peaceful coexistence between Islam and traditional cults, Emperor Keita needed a set of guidelines. Together, these formed the Manden Charter.
 

“Every human life is a life”

“Hunger is not good. Neither is slavery,” says the Charter among other things. “Every human life is a life. No one should harm their neighbour.” And also: “Everyone is free to act as they choose. Everyone is entitled to the fruits of their labour.”

The Manden Charter thus includes aspects such as the right to life, individual freedom, equality, food security, social harmony within diversity, and freedom of expression and enterprise. For that reason, it stands as one of the oldest references to human rights. It is no coincidence that UNESCO inscribed the Charter in 2009 on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
 

Photos inspired by the Charter

To shed more light on this somewhat surprising fact, our embassy in Dakar (Senegal) decided to host an exhibition dedicated to the Charter. It did so in collaboration with the embassies of the Netherlands and Luxembourg and with WBI.

The aim was to commission the renowned Senegalese photographer Matar Ndour to create photos inspired by the Charter, as there is no original document of the Charter itself. Its content was passed down to local communities by griots – West African storytellers who keep history alive through narrative songs – until it was finally written down in the 1960s.

The Théodore-Monod Museum as collective memory

The photographs by Matar Ndour were exhibited in a remarkable venue: the renowned Théodore-Monod Museum of African Art (Musée Théodore Monod de l’Art Africain), which is part of the Senegalese research institute Fundamental Institute of Black Africa (Institut fondamental d’Afrique noire or IFAN). The museum is located in the heart of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, close to the parliament building and the presidential palace. Its mission includes “preserving the collective memory of Senegalese and African cultures” and “celebrating difference and cultural diversity to foster understanding among peoples.”

So, the choice of venue was anything but random. The current Senegalese government considers the Charter an important element in underlining the significance of African culture and values. Present at the opening was the Senegalese Secretary of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Historical Heritage.

Other attendees included various ambassadors from every corner of the world, as well as key figures from the local cultural sector and human rights organisations. The exhibition runs until 5 January.
 

A celebration of African wisdom

For Belgium – and the other Benelux countries – the exhibition represents a celebration of African wisdom and history, and the ongoing quest for justice and brotherhood. UN human rights are sometimes criticised for being defined mainly from a Western perspective and imposed by the West. Yet history teaches us that these values and norms were established centuries earlier by various peoples, including in West Africa.

Our country supports Senegal’s efforts to further develop its pan-African identity as a way to cast off its colonial past. That too is a human right. The ancient Manden Charter proves that these human rights are values we share.