INTRODUCTION 1. The Republic of Niger is submitting its fifteenth (15th) periodic report covering the period 2017-2019 to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, pursuant to Article 62 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It should be recalled that Niger presented its fourteenth (14th) periodic report for the period 2014-2016 at the 61st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights held from 1 to 15 November 2017 in Banjul, The Gambia. 2. 3. The regular presentation of reports shows the strong desire of the Government of Niger to honour its commitments arising from the ratification of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on 15 July, 1986. 4. This report was prepared by the Nigerien Interministerial Committee in charge of the preparation of reports to the Treaty and Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Bodies in accordance with the following: - General Guidelines issued for the national periodic reports under the terms of the African Charter, which were adopted in 1989; - Reporting Guidelines for States Parties on the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR); - Guidelines and principles for the preparation of State reports under Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter relating to the extractive industries, human rights and the environment. 5. This report outlines the legislative, administrative and other measures as well as new policies adopted since Niger submitted its last report in 2017. The report provides information on progress made in the implementation of the Charter by indicating the extent to which the political and administrative authorities have given effect to the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined therein. It also indicates the factors and difficulties hindering the effective implementation of these rights. Finally, it provides answers to the observations and recommendations the Commission made to Niger at the 23rd Extraordinary Session held in Banjul, The Gambia from 13 to 23 February 2018, following the presentation of its last periodic report. 6. The preparation of this report under the supervision of the Interministerial Committee used a participatory and inclusive approach which consisted of the following stages: 1. An initial 3-day orientation workshop held in Niamey from 15 to 17 July 2019 with the aim of training the members of the Committee on the rights outlined in the Charter and the various periodic reporting guidelines, drawing up a work schedule and assigning to each member the task of collecting data to be used to provide information for the report; 2. A second 2-day workshop held in Dosso on 14 and 15 August 2019 in the form of a retreat of members of the Committee to compile the collected data and to produce a first draft report; 7