Niger adopted its second National Action Plan (NAP) for the period 2020-2024. This NAP follows a previous one, adopted in 2016 for the period 2016-2018. Analysis of the 2020-2024 NAP is forthcoming.
The 2016-2018 NAP was developed by the Ministry of Population, Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, through a participatory approach that included consultations with civil society organisations, NGOs, and technical and financial partners. The NAP focuses on four priority axes, including: prevention of conflict and gender-based violence; protection, assistance and rehabilitation of victims; participation and representation; coordination, monitoring and evaluation of activities. However, the NAP, while referencing the impact of armed conflict on women, does not offer any specific actions for disarmament and arms control, including monitoring mechanisms for assessing the impact of arms proliferation on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). While the NAP offers financing specifics as well as a detailed monitoring and evaluation framework, it does not have a timeline.
Niger reported on the implementation of its NAP, as well as WPS commitments, in its national reporting for Beijing+25 and in preparation for CSW64 (2020). Specifically, the report indicates that Niger supported the establishment of the G5 Sahel Women’s Platform and the development of a three-year action plan for 2019-2021 (p. 37).
Niger gained independence from France in 1960, after decades of colonial rule. The country experienced military rule and rebellions, including a military coup in 2010, leading to widespread social and political instability, including lack of access to natural resources; lack of access to public resources, including the redistribution of income from extractive industries; a demographic dividend and marginalisation of women and youth; weak governance, social tensions and the recurrence of political and institutional instability; armed conflicts, including armed rebellions in the northern part of the country. Additionally, socio-political turmoil in Libya, armed conflict in Mali, the presence of Boko Haram and the presence of terrorist groups in the north-west have all led to displacement throughout Niger and an influx of migrants. Most recently, in 2020, Niger received thousands of migrants and asylum seekers, who were expelled by Algeria.