With the passing of Boubacar Ould Messaoud on March 12, 2026, Mauritania lost its most famous and beloved human rights activist. 

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Boubacar Ould Messaoud, a Haratine and the son of slaves, was a member and leader in the El Hor (The Free) anti-slavery movement. In 1981, under pressure from El Hor and the international community, slavery was finally abolished by the Mauritanian government. Abolition, however, did not mean the end of slavery; slavery was still not criminalized, and virtually no effort was expended to enforce abolition. Thus, in 1995 Boubacar Messaoud founded SOS-Esclaves to continue the fight to end slavery in Mauritania. Since 1995, SOS-Esclaves has been committed to raising awareness about the continued existence of slavery, fighting for criminalization and enforcement, and assisting escaped and freed slaves to reclaim their lives and dignity. SOS-Esclaves under, Boubacar Ould Messaoud, has won significant victories such as the 2007 criminalization of slavery and the establishment of anti-slavery courts in 2015. SOS-Esclaves continues to fight for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all Mauritanians. 

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