Want to know more about discriminated communities of Africa? Download this factsheet

A comprehensive new report titled CDWD in Africa Factsheet highlights the continued exclusion and marginalisation of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD) across five African nations—The Gambia, Mauritania, Niger, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

Drawing on data compiled by researchers affiliated with the Global Forum on CDWD, the report exposes severe gaps in health, gender equality, and employment access for these historically oppressed groups. The findings underscore the urgency of recognising CDWD in national policies, addressing structural discrimination, and closing data gaps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Health), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Despite the presence of progressive anti-discrimination laws in some countries, CDWD communities remain subject to caste-based stigma, forced labour, gender-based violence, and routine denial of public services. Their near-total exclusion from formal employment and policy frameworks keeps them trapped in hereditary occupations and informal economies with little protection or opportunity for upward mobility.

Scope and Demographics

The report provides demographic insights into CDWD populations, revealing both their invisibility in official records and their significance in terms of numbers. In Mauritania, CDWD communities—such as the Haratine, Ñeñbe, and Igawen—comprise nearly 57.6% of the population, making their exclusion particularly alarming. In Nigeria, an estimated 3.6 million people belong to CDWD groups such as the Osu and Kamwe. Cameroon is estimated to have between 2.5 to 3 million CDWD individuals, including Pygmy groups and the Mbororo.

Despite their presence, these communities remain largely invisible in national censuses and development strategies. Disaggregated data by caste, gender, or socio-economic status is not available in most national statistics. This invisibility has created a major barrier to targeted policymaking and resource allocation.

Key Findings Across Sectors

Health Disparities (SDG 3)

CDWD communities often reside in remote and underserved areas, lacking access to health clinics or essential medical services. In Mauritania and Nigeria, fewer than 30% of CDWD women deliver in medical facilities. Traditional birth practices are widespread in The Gambia and Nigeria due to mistrust in formal healthcare systems and experiences of discrimination.

The report documents high rates of malnutrition, especially among children. In Mauritania, for instance, 54% of CDWD children suffer from malnutrition. Lack of documentation, cost barriers, and stigma further limit access to health services. Testimonies from community members illustrate how exclusion from emergency maternal care or mobile clinics remains a common reality.

Gender Inequality and Violence (SDG 5)

CDWD women face multiple and intersecting forms of exclusion based on gender, caste, and economic status. Early and forced marriage remains prevalent, especially in Niger, where 77% of CDWD girls are married before the age of 18. Women are often denied access to sanitation facilities, as in Niger, where some communities are only allowed to fetch water on specific days of the week.

Reports of gender-based violence are widespread but rarely filed due to fear of reprisal and lack of legal support. The report also notes the absence of CDWD women in formal leadership positions, despite their active roles in informal governance. In Cameroon, Mbororo women have informal leadership responsibilities but are excluded from formal political processes.

Labour Discrimination and Informal Work (SDG 8)

CDWD individuals are routinely confined to caste-based occupations such as leatherwork, blacksmithing, and domestic labour. These professions are often low-paid, exploitative, and offer no legal protections. In countries such as Niger and Mauritania, CDWD youth have negligible access to vocational training—estimated at under 15%—and are effectively shut out from civil service and formal employment.

Cases of bonded labour and hereditary servitude persist in multiple forms, often passed down through generations. Young people face limited career mobility, and women are particularly vulnerable to being forced into unsafe work, including survival sex labour. Community voices included in the report detail experiences of wage theft, physical violence, and institutional neglect.

Systemic Barriers and Data Gaps

The factsheet highlights that CDWD populations are not formally recognised in constitutions, national censuses, or anti-discrimination frameworks. This omission perpetuates their exclusion from development benefits and public services. The lack of caste-disaggregated data has led to policy blind spots, underreporting of abuse, and ineffective implementation of protections where they do exist.

Researchers recommend that national governments immediately incorporate CDWD as a legally recognised group in constitutions and public policy. Promotion and enforcement of ACHPR Resolution 619—which calls for the protection of CDWD rights—must become central to legal reforms across the continent.

Recommendations

The report outlines several key actions to address these challenges:

• Legal Recognition: Enshrine CDWD protections in national constitutions and census frameworks. Criminalise caste-based discrimination and hereditary servitude.
• Healthcare Access: Invest in rural health infrastructure and mobile clinics. Ensure universal health coverage regardless of documentation status.
• Gender Protection: Enforce laws on gender-based violence, promote leadership quotas for CDWD women, and provide free legal aid.
• Employment and Education: Expand vocational training and apprenticeships for CDWD youth. Support cooperatives and protect informal workers.
• Data and Accountability: Collect and publish disaggregated data on CDWD populations. Monitor law implementation through community-led platforms.

Conclusion

The CDWD in Africa Factsheet provides vital documentation of how deeply embedded caste and work-based discrimination remains in African societies. With 2030 SDG deadlines approaching, researchers and civil society actors call for immediate reforms to ensure CDWD communities are no longer left behind. Recognising their rights, collecting accurate data, and enforcing laws are not just matters of justice—they are prerequisites for sustainable development.

Let’s not just admire their courage.
Support the movement. Share their stories. Invite them into rooms of power. And most of all—follow their leadership.

Scan the QR code to donate now and help us build a future where every voice counts. Every leader matters.