Niger delivers first human rights status report in 11 years

Niger has promised to provide regular reports to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on how it is giving effect to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The charter is the main African human rights convention setting out basic rights and freedoms within all areas of human rights. But conventions, such as the African Charter, only have an impact to the extent they are being implemented in the member states.

Unfortunately, many of the 53 member countries are behind on their obligations to report to the African Commission. It was therefore a proud and important moment for Niger when it handed its periodic report 2003-2014 to the African Commission earlier this year.

Much work had gone into preparing the report by the Ministry of Justice in Niger and its Directorate of Human Rights. The Danish Institute for Human Rights worked closely with the Ministry of Justice with respect to the methodology, including how to secure the availability of the correct information and how to structure the report for maximum completeness, impact and comprehension.

- Being able to live up to international reporting obligations is an important yardstick for measuring the skills and the commitment of a governments with respect to human rights. Assisting Niger in this respect is, therefore, a perfect fit with the focus on strengthening state human rights actors in the new 2015-2017 strategic plan for us, says Lisbet Ilkjær, director of the National Human Rights Systems Department of the Danish Institute.

Remarkable improvements
The report does not try to hide the challenges of implementing human rights in Niger but it also reflects some very remarkable achievements: Slavery is for example prohibited in the 2010 constitution and considered a criminal offense now; several cases have already been sanctioned. Niger has also decriminalised press offenses in 2010 as well as promoting the freedom of the press. And in 2014, the Judicial and Legal Assistance agency has been established and funds allocated in order to make justice available to vulnerable persons without financial resources.

- We fought hard to acquire democracy. To ensure its fruitful development and influence, we all work towards sustaining democracy with human rights, freedom and the dignity and worth of human person. In this respect, on top of our agenda are the abolition of the death penalty, the unacceptability of torture, the promotion of right to a fair trial and the humanization of prison conditions, says Marou Amadou, Minister of Justice in Niger.

Niger’s report is up for discussion at the next ordinary session of the African Commission.

- The examination before the African Commission is, in fact, a dialogue between Niger and the African Commission. On this basis, the African Commission will make a number of comments and recommendations. We will be ready to assist Niger in implementing the recommendations, thereby helping the ministerial structures to better grasp human rights issues faced in Niger and transforming them into real benefits for all members of society, ends Monique Alexis, long-term advisor to the Danish Institute for Human Rights’ activities in West Africa.