PART TWO: SITUATION OF CHILDREN IN NIGER: MEASURES
TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE CHARTER AND PROGRESS
ACHIEVED IN THAT REGARD
I.
GENERAL MEASURES OF APPLICATION
Niger has adopted a number of legal and institutional measures aimed at harmonizing and
incorporating the ACRWC in its domestic legislation.
At the legislative level: a committee responsible for the reform of the country‟s criminal,
civil and commercial laws was set up by Order No. 0079/MJ/GS/MCRP of 11 November
2003. Its mission was to examine draft instruments with a view to amending them. It is in
this framework that Ordinance No. 99-11 la 14/5/99 related to the creation, composition
and organization of juvenile courts was signed. Besides, these courts have become a
definitive feature, as provided for in section 59 of Law No. 2004-50 of 22 July 2004 fixing
the organization and jurisdiction of courts in the Republic of Niger. Today, there is a
juvenile court in each high court as well as a trial judge in courts at all divisional
headquarters.
The Judicial Reform Support Programme previewed that detention centres will have a
section reserved for minors. The one in Niamey prison became operational in 1999.
The will of the State is reflected by the creation of a Ministry of Women‟s Empowerment
and Child Protection.
At the administrative and institutional level, Niger has many structures that cater for
children in difficulty and those in conflict with the law.
The existence of numerous NGOs and Associations that defend children‟s rights led to the
creation of the child rights network, Réseau Nigérien pour l’Enfance (RENE).
All these activities are coordinated through a National Action Plan (NAP) for the
monitoring, protection and development of the child, drafted for 1991 to 2000. It has been
implemented albeit with some limitations, given the economic situation of the country.
A second ten-year National Action Plan (2004-2010) was elaborated. It has three
objectives:
I.
II.
III.
to promote and ensure a healthy existence for children ;
to provide children with quality education and healthcare;
to protect children against all acts of maltreatment and exploitation.
A draft children‟s code was elaborated and validated in 2005.
As far as measures taken to ensure the wide dissemination of the Charter ratified in
November 1996 – the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child – this charter
as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is not adequately
disseminated. It is mostly mentioned during seminars discussing child rights to highlight its
similarities and differences with the United Nations Convention. Sensitization is done
during the Day of the African Child depending on the theme chosen by the African Union
and on that occasion, State-owned and private media are mobilized.
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