Mali has been grappling with political instability, a simmering security crisis in the north and centre, and the consequences of climate change for over a decade. The country has a rich cultural history and significant mineral resources, yet the situation of a large proportion of the population – particularly women and girls – is characterised by extreme vulnerability.
In 2025, the crisis intensified on several fronts. From September onwards, jihadist groups systematically attacked supply convoys, paralysing the main supply routes to the capital, Bamako, and thereby triggering a severe fuel crisis. Politically, the transitional government continued its authoritarian course — political parties were dissolved, opposition figures were arrested or forced into exile, and a five-year transitional mandate was established. In December 2025, Mali strengthened its role in the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) through a historic Council of Ministers summit with Burkina Faso and Niger.
The security situation remains tense despite intensified military operations. The humanitarian situation is critical: aid reaches only 97 of the 159 administrative districts, nearly one million children have no access to schooling, and 1.2 million people are affected by food insecurity.
The climate crisis is hitting Mali particularly hard. Recurring droughts, flooding of the Niger River and increasing desertification are undermining livelihoods and food security. The economy is extremely vulnerable: agriculture accounts for over 30 per cent of gross domestic product and employs a large proportion of the working population. Unpredictable rainy seasons and extreme weather events are having an increasingly negative impact on yields and markets.
The situation of women and girls remains characterised by structural inequality: 53 per cent of girls are married before the age of 18, 89 per cent of women have undergone female genital mutilation, and more than one in three women is a victim of gender-based violence. The ongoing security crisis further exacerbates the situation.
At the same time, significant progress has been made: the new Criminal Code, in force since December 2024, explicitly criminalises psychological and sexual harassment, sexual assault and femicide for the first time, and broadens the definition of rape. This fulfils a long-standing demand from civil society. Implementation, however, remains challenging: access to protection services is limited, and cuts to international aid funding have deprived tens of thousands of women of access to protection programmes. Malian women’s organisations are continuing their work despite these adversities.
Capital: Bamako / approx. 2.93 million inhabitants
Population: 24.0 million (2024)
Population growth: 3.02 per cent per year
Urban population: 44.4 per cent
Life expectancy: 63.7 years
Infant mortality: 57.6 per 1,000 live births
Maternal mortality: 367 per 100,000 births
Fertility rate: 5.61 births per woman
Female genital mutilation (FGM): 89 per cent (women aged 15–49, UNICEF 2025)
Child marriage before the age of 18: 53 per cent (UNICEF 2025)
Our programs are supported by core contributions from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
