DIHR has been working in Niger since 1997. The initial objective was to strengthen human rights actors, and especially civil society, and through partnership with the law faculty at the University of Abdou Moumouni, to encourage debates on the law, applied research, human rights and policing, and dialogue on Islam, human rights and democracy.
The focus today is still on civil society organizations and their network and their capacity to conduct efficient advocacy actions based on reliable documentation. Support is also given to applied research at the institution responsible for initial and in-service training of civil servants and at the law faculty where a group of researchers is working on family law. DIHR continues its work with human rights and policing through support to in-service training of security forces in human rights in the whole country and the development of indicators to monitor the effect of this training. The national police reform and DIHR’s experience with human rights and policing in Niger will be the starting point for the development of a ”police platform” in West Africa.
DIHR in Niger
Following an assessment of the situation of human rights in the country requested by Danida, the Danish Institute for Human Rights initiated its programmes in Niger in September 1997.
To reinforce DIHR's presence in Niger, two human rights officers were posted to Niamey at different times; the first between 1997 and 1998, and the second between 2000 and 2002. One officer acted as an on-the-ground supervisor for project activities while the other functioned as technical advisor. A local Nigerien has now been recruited and trained to represent the Institute in Niger and supervise project activities.