VZCZCXRO0887
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0553/01 2120558
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 310558Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5216
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NIAMEY 000553 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, G/TIP, AND DRL/AE 
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W 
ACCRA ALSO FOR USAID/WA 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KTIP SOCI NG
SUBJECT:  Niger - Update on Trafficking in Persons 
 
Ref:  a) Niamey 502   b) Niamey 447   c) Niamey 281 
 d) Niamey 273   e) Niamey 99   f) Niamey 92 
 
¶1. Overview:  Although Embassy Niamey has engaged in discussion with 
Washington regarding trafficking in persons-related issues over the 
past year, including through its Trafficking in Persons, Human 
Rights, Child Labor, Advancing Freedom and Democracy, and other 
annual reports, much of this information has been shared with 
limited audiences.  To inform a broader range of issue stakeholders 
and afford Washington a full perspective, Embassy Niamey takes this 
opportunity to provide a more systematic updating on the various 
measures that have been taking place over the past 18 months in 
Niger.  End overview. 
 
GON Actions/Activities re TIP in 2008 - 2009 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶2. During the period of January 1, 2008 - July 29, 2009, the 
following actions and/or activities took place in Niger regarding 
addressing trafficking in persons: 
 
-- In February 2008, the village chief of Nobi, Tahoua region, 
handed over to Timidria 20 persons rescued from caste-based 
servitude.  Timidria intends to carry out a project in order to 
support their socio-economic reinsertion; although Timidria has 
submitted proposals and funding requests to various stakeholders, no 
response has been received so far. 
 
-- On March 22, 2008, the Minister of Justice was a keynote speaker 
when the French Cultural Center hosted the official unveiling of two 
books on slavery in Africa, one of which was Niger-specific.  The 
event received wide media coverage. 
 
-- In March 2008, RDM Tanafili, a local NGO, with support from local 
authorities, rescued and assisted six families of former slaves 
(totaling some 40 persons) in purchasing land from their former 
masters in Tajae, Tahoua Region.  The NGO was expected to sponsor 
the families for one year by providing them with food, livestock to 
start a new life, and education for their children. 
 
-- In March 2008, the Government, with support from UNICEF, 
completed the establishment of regional committees to control child 
trafficking in most regions of the country.  The overall objective 
for these committees was to undertake all necessary actions that 
help prevent child trafficking, dismantle any trafficking rings, and 
sensitize the population on women's and children's trafficking 
issues. 
 
-- On July 1-4, 2008, the Minister of Women's Promotion and 
Children's Protection chaired a regional training workshop for 
journalists from nine countries on child labor and trafficking. 
 
-- In July 2008, the National Commission for Human Rights and 
Fundamental Liberties (CNDHLF) published a study on "The Problem of 
Forced Labor, Child Labor, and all Forms of Slavery Practices in 
Niger."  The CNDHLF called the report "a national reference 
document." 
 
-- On October 27, in a landmark ruling regarding the case Timidria 
and Hadidjatou Mani Koraou vs. the Government of Niger, the Economic 
Community of West African States Court of Justice recognized that 
Mani Koraou had been a victim of slavery and held the Government of 
Niger responsible for the inaction of its administrative and legal 
services, which failed to protect a woman sold into slavery.  The 
Court fined the Government of Niger 10 million CFA ($20,000) in 
damages for the victim.  The Government complied with the ruling and 
paid the fine on March 17, 2009. 
 
-- On November 25-27, 2008, the Government, with support from French 
Cooperation, hosted a regional seminar on terrorism and trafficking, 
including trafficking in persons.  One of the workshops focused on 
training law enforcement officers on prosecution, special 
investigation techniques, witness protection, and international 
cooperation in the fight against trafficking. 
 
-- On December 22, 2008, the Court of Appeals of Niamey held 
hearings on the 2006 slavery case of Timidria and Assibit Wanagoda 
vs. Tafane Abouzeidi.  In the verdict it delivered on February 9, 
2009, the court found no grounds for prosecution and dismissed the 
case. 
 
-- On December 29, 2008, the second ordinary session of Niger's 
youth parliament focused on calling the attention of NGOs and the 
public to children's rights with rgard to situations such as child 
labor, begging, and prostitution. 
 
-- In December 2008, the Ministry of Labor, in conjunction with the 
National Statistics Institute, completed the initial stage of a 
nationwide study that will generate data on children's education, 
 
NIAMEY 00000553  002 OF 003 
 
 
economic, and non-economic activities and create a qualitative and 
quantitative database of information and statistics regarding child 
labor in Niger.  On January 16, 2009, the MOL launched the final 
stage of a survey.  During a June 2009 visit to artisanal gold mines 
by Embassy officers, MOL staff stated that its study work would be 
completed within the near future; an April 2009 projection foresaw 
project completion in the third quarter of 2009. 
 
-- In 2008, the GON cooperated with the Governments of Mali and 
Benin in investigating and prosecuting several child trafficking 
cases. 
 
-- In 2008, the Government undertook several initiatives to assist 
trafficking victims.  Local authorities assisted UNICEF and a local 
NGO partner to identify and rehabilitate child victims of TIP in the 
Agadez region.  Local police and prosecutors arrested and prosecuted 
traffickers identified by the project, and ensured that rescued 
victims were handed over to a local NGO for rehabilitation.  A total 
37 children were placed in rehabilitation centers. 
 
-- In 2008, the Makalondi Welcome and Transit Center, in cooperation 
with Nigerien police and international organizations, rescued, 
rehabilitated, and returned to their families 44 children victims of 
trafficking from Mali and Niger. 
 
-- The Government conducted several anti-trafficking information and 
education campaigns during 2008.  Senior GON officials made remarks 
at the openings of training sessions on TIP, and Government media 
covered the events, making them a tool for enhanced public awareness 
of TIP. 
 
-- On February 16, 2009, Niger police referred to a local NGO a 
young Nigerien woman suspected victim of trafficking. The woman was 
14 years old when a Togo national lured her to travel with him to 
Togo, where he obtained false identity documents for her, married 
her, and had two children with her.  According to the woman's 
parents, Togolese law enforcement authorities kept custody of the 
children, but did not indict the suspected trafficker.  The woman 
and her parents sought assistance in taking legal action in order to 
claim custody of the two children. 
 
-- During a meeting with Embassy Charge d'Affaires on April 9, 2009, 
the Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice reported that in 
March 2009 the Tribunal of Konni had sentenced several people in 
connection to slavery cases.  In a separate case, the Dosso Tribunal 
sentenced a man who abducted his niece to Benin. 
 
-- The GON continued to seek opportunities to train its law 
enforcement officers on TIP, TIP victim, and perpetrator 
identification, and relevant legislation and treaty commitments.  On 
June 19-20, 2009, the ILO organized a training session for the 
National Commission Against Forced Labor and Discrimination.  The 
workshop was aimed at strengthening the capacities of this body, and 
included a presentation on the social insertion of slavery 
practices' victims.  On June 25-26, 2009, the ILO held a similar 
session for judges, lawyers, and bailiffs. 
 
-- On April 3, 2009, ECOWAS ministers responsible for issues 
relating to trafficking in persons adopted a policy that would 
provide the region with the legal mechanism for protecting and 
assisting victims of trafficking.  The policy commits Member States 
to provide victims of TIP equitable access to assistance programs 
focused on easing their integration and enabling them to become 
functional members of society.  The policy's core areas include 
reception, identification, sheltering, health, counseling, family 
tracing, return/repatriation, integration, empowerment, follow-up, 
after care, and disengagement of victims. 
 
-- On June 10-12, 2009, on the occasion of the World Day Against 
Child Labor, the International Labor Organization International 
Program for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO/IPEC) organized 
various public events and a conference aimed to raise awareness on 
the issues Niger faces in combating the worst forms of child labor 
(ref B). 
 
-- On June 16, 2009, Niger's First Lady and the Minister of Women's 
Promotion and Children's Protection chaired a town hall meeting to 
sensitize the public on the occasion of the African Children's Day. 
Several cabinet members, diplomats, international organization 
representatives, NGOs, and the public attended the event.  The 
Minister of Women's Promotion and Children's Protection stressed the 
GON's commitment to implement the relevant ILO conventions ratified 
by Niger, notably ILO Convention 182, in order to improve the 
situation of Niger's children.  The Minister called on the 
population to "massively" participate in all of the child protection 
sensitization sessions; she also urged the media to provide 
extensive coverage of the activities.  During the event, the 
Coalition of NGOs and Associations supporting Childhood in Niger 
 
NIAMEY 00000553  003 OF 003 
 
 
(CONAFE-Niger) made a public advocacy in which it welcomed 
"encouraging progress" in child protection; however, CONAFE-Niger 
"deplores the National Committee on Child Survival's lethargy and 
the lack of resources to facilitate its work...CONAFE-Niger is 
deeply concerned by the non-adoption of the Children's Code and the 
anti-trafficking law, and the inexistence of several legal 
provisions." 
 
-- On June 25, 2009, Embassy officers visited three artisanal gold 
mines in Tillabery region and noted that the GON and several NGOs 
have made noticeable investments in both infrastructure and social 
programs to combat the problem of child labor and trafficking (ref 
A). 
 
-- On July 28, 2009, the Nigerien Association for the Fight against 
Delinquency (ANTD), a local NGO working on child labor and 
trafficking, and the Open Society for West Africa (OSIWA), organized 
a three-day workshop to sensitize marabouts (religious teachers) on 
the promotion of rights and the fight against children's forced and 
illegal migration.  Ambassador Allen opened the workshop, and 
reiterated USG and her strong personal support for efforts to combat 
child labor and trafficking. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
¶3. Although Niger has very limited resources to address trafficking 
in persons, and currently is involved in complex political 
developments, the past 18 months has nonetheless seen a series of 
small-scale activities to address it.  Continued efforts to improve 
conditions and attitudes will need the assistance of international 
organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other 
stakeholders to ensure success. 
 
ALLEN