Republic of Niger

Covers the period from April 2001 to March 2004.

Population: 11.5 million (6.5 million under 18)
Government armed forces: 5,300
Compulsory recruitment age: unknown
Voluntary recruitment age: unknown
Voting age: 18
Optional Protocol: not signed
Other treaties ratified (see glossary): CRC, GC AP I and II, ICC, ILO 138, ILO 182; ACRWC

No information was available on the use of under-18s in the armed forces

Context

In the first military uprising since civilian rule was restored in 2000, a ten-day mutiny in support of a pay increase took place in August 2002. It was put down by government forces.1 In January 2003 over 270 people were charged with high treason, murder, arson and other offences in connection with the mutiny. In May 2003, 52 of the detainees were reportedly released.2 The trial of the remainder had not begun by March 2004.

In February 2003, after representatives of the former armed opposition complained in a radio debate that the government had failed to reintegrate former fighters in accordance with peace agreements, the government closed down the privately owned radio station concerned, Nomade FM.3

Government

National recruitment legislation and practice

The constitution states that it is the duty of every citizen to defend the nation and territorial integrity, and that military service is compulsory (Article 28).4

In October 2001 Niger reported to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child that military service was governed by Ordinance No. 96-033 of 19 June 1996 and was obligatory for all citizens of Niger "with the exception of unfit or exempt persons. It may take the form of military service, national civil service or national participatory service". The minimum age for military service was not specified.5

Military training and military schools

Niger's initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child said that Decree No 97459/PRN/MDN of 26 December 1997 on the organization and establishment of a military school had established the Prytanée militaire de Niamey within the armed forces. Admission was open to boys and young men holding a primary school leaving certificate, and entrants received a general school education as well as military training. The decree did not specify the minimum age of admission, but children normally left primary school between 11 and 13.6 The government reportedly undertook to review the school prior to ratifying the Optional Protocol.7 It was not known whether such a review took place.

Other developments

The existence of slavery in certain parts of the country, as well as widespread child labour, was acknowledged in Niger's initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.8 In its concluding observations, the Committee expressed concern at discrimination against the most vulnerable children, the large number of children, particularly in rural areas, who were not registered at birth, the continuation of slavery and the extent of child labour.9 In 2003 the National Assembly adopted a law making slavery a criminal offence.10

* see glossary for information about internet sources

1 Amnesty International Report 2003, http://web.amnesty.org/library/engindex.

2 Amnesty International Report 2004.

3 Reporters sans frontières, "Niger: Une radio privée fermée par les autorités après avoir donné la parole à d'anciens rebelles", 17 February 2003.

4 Constitution, at http://droit.francophonie.org/doc/html/ne/con/1999dfneco1.html.

5 Initial report of Niger to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, UN Doc. CRC/C/3/Add.29/Rev.1, 17 October 2001, http://www.ohchr.org.

6 Initial report of Niger to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, op. cit.

7 UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding observations: Niger, UN Doc. CRC/C/15/Add.179, 13 June 2002.

8 Initial report of Niger to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, op. cit.

9 UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding observations: Niger, op. cit.

10 Amnesty International Report 2004.

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