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Due to resource constraints, IRIN is not updating the country profile below.
Updated humanitarian country information can be found instead at the Niger country page on ReliefWeb [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc104?OpenForm&rc=1&cc=ner].
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 NIGER
Humanitarian Country Profile |
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Background
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Last update: February 2007 |
Niger played an important role in the trade between North Africa and kingdoms farther south from the 14th century onwards because of its extensive mineral resources. The nomadic, animal-breeding Tuaregs controlled most of the north and after a drought in the 18th century, extended their dominance southwards, making contact with agriculturalists.The French colonised Niger in the late 1800s but not before meeting heavy resistance, particularly from the Tuaregs.When the country became independent in 1960, Diori Herman was elected president. A devastating five-year drought from 1968 to 1973 destabilised the region and Herman was overthrown in a military coup.The country went from dictatorship to single-party rule in 1989 when a new constitution was introduced.Until 1999, the political situation was plagued by insecurity, with regular constitutional amendments and coups. That year, multi-party elections were held and Mamadou Tandja was elected. He has been in power since then.
Peace and security
A Tuareg rebellion was launched in 1990 in the north of the country with rebel groups demanding independence. The Tuaregs, who had recently returned to Niger after fleeing droughts, felt unsupported by the government. They were joined by other nomadic groups including the Toubou in the east. A ceasefire was signed in 1995 aiming to integrate former rebels into the army, provide economic assistance, open schools and decentralise the government. Residual insecurity persisted, with rebels claiming the government was not fulfilling its part of the agreement.In 2005, there was a resurgence of the Tuareg group, the Liberation Front for l’Air and l’Azouak, in support of former minister Rhissa Ag Boula, who was ousted on suspicion he was involved in the murder of a politician in the north. Tuareg groups also kidnapped foreigners in the summer of 2006.Niger had a long-standing border dispute with Benin which was resolved by the International Court of Justice when it awarded Niger most of the disputed territory.In October 2006, the government announced it would expel nomadic Arabs, known as the Mahamid, from the southeastern part of the country near Chad. The Mahamid had entered Niger from Chad after the drought in 1974 and to escape fighting in the 1980s. The government accused them of creating unrest, including rape and theft, and putting pressure on pastoral land. Under international pressure, the government rescinded its decision. Hundreds of local people protested, saying the Mahamid were harassing them with illegal firearms and depleting local supplies of water and pasture with their livestock.
IDPs/Refugees
During the Tuareg rebellion from 1990 to 1995, some people took refuge in Algeria and Libya, but most have returned to Niger since peace was restored.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) does not have any current operations in Niger. In October 2006, it planned a fact-finding mission to the remote Diffa region near the Chadian border, after the government of Niger announced that it intended to expel the Mahamid.
Under international pressure, particularly from neighbouring countries, the government overturned its decision. The Mahamid have been allowed to stay and have been granted permission to graze their cattle throughout Niger but are still considered foreigners. They were also told they must spread out through the region to relieve pressure on land.
Democracy and governance
Chronic poverty, poor economic performance and severe droughts have made it difficult for democracy to gain a foothold in Niger. First president Diori Hamani was ousted in a military coup in 1974. He was accused of mismanaging the famine in the region. Lieutenant Colonel Seyni Kountche took over and made economic recovery a priority, seeking ties with France. He was succeeded in 1987 by Ali Seybou, the army chief of staff who brought in a one-party system.Protests forced Seybou to amend the constitution to legalise opposition parties but demands for further democratic reforms led to a constitutional conference in 1991 to strip Seybou of power. Multi-party elections were successfully held in 1993 and Mahaman Ousmane won.Friction between the president and prime minister made the government dysfunctional and Colonel Ibrahim Bare Mainassara staged a coup, arresting both men. He banned all opposition parties and limited the power of the prime minister. He held what were considered rigged elections and in 1999 was assassinated by his presidential guard.The constitution was once again amended and Mamadou Tandja won elections that same year. He has been credited with bringing political stability to the country. He won a second and final mandate in 2004. His party, the National Movement for Society and Development, dominates the country’s political landscape. The main opposition party is the Party for Democracy and Socialism.
Media
Radio is the most important medium for the dissemination of information. The state controls most national broadcasting; however, there are approximately 15 private broadcasters. Print media is often partisan but plays an important role in democratic debate in the country.Although press freedom is guaranteed by law, the government has regularly detained journalists and some have been tried for disseminating false information. The publisher and editor of the privately owned newspaper l’Independent were sentenced to 18 months in prison for “spreading false news”, and “defamation”. They were released after serving four months.The High Council for Communications (CSC) is a government body that regulates the media. In March 2006, the police shut down a radio station for criticising a tax hike without consulting the CSC. The closure was ruled illegal by the regional court of Niamey; however, the CSC placed restrictions on the content that the station could broadcast.
Economy
Landlocked and mainly desert, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. The majority of the population is engaged in subsistence farming, which is vulnerable to drought, desertification and locust infestations.Niger is the third-largest producer of uranium worldwide and accounts for 31 percent of total exports. French nuclear company AVERA controls the majority of production. A drop in world demand for uranium affected the economy, but prices have recovered in recent years.Nearly half the government budget comes from foreign donors. In December 2005, Niger qualified for multilateral debt relief from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which equalled US$86 million.Exploitation of oil, gold and coal could help boost the economy in the future.
Population
The population of Niger is 13.5 million, with most communities concentrated in the south close to the border with Nigeria and in the west near the Niger River.The life expectancy at birth is 44.3 years. Niger has one of the highest fertility rates in the world at 7.9 children. The population growth rate is 3.2 percent and 46.9 percent of the population is younger than 14 years.The main ethnic groups are the Hausa who make up 52.8 percent of the population. Other ethnicities include Djerma, Peul, Kanori, Songhai and Tuareg. Ninety percent of the population is Muslim, and the balance practise Christianity or indigenous beliefs.
Development indicators
Niger is ranked last on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index. Life expectancy at birth is 44.3 years and 54 percent are without access to an improved water source. The infant mortality rate is 152 deaths per 1,000 live births.The adult literacy rate is 28.7 percent and the combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio is 21.5 percent.Almost 60 percent of the population live on less than $1 per day and 40 percent suffer from malnutrition. One of the Millennium Development Goals for Niger is to halve these figures by 2015.
Education
Niger has some of the lowest school enrolment rates in West Africa, particularly for girls.According to statistics from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), 46 percent of boys and 32 percent of girls are in primary school. Of those, only 25 percent complete the full course of primary education.Rates drop drastically at the secondary level. It is estimated that eight percent of boys and five percent of girls are enrolled.As a consequence, illiteracy is widespread. UNDP puts the illiteracy rate at 71.3 percent. It is estimated that in some rural areas, more than 90 percent of women are illiterate.Girls are often kept out of school to work at home or get married. Endemic poverty means children are often sent off to work not to school, while parents cannot afford school fees and supplies.According to the World Bank, school fees in Niger are some of the highest in Africa and only 2.3 percent of gross domestic product is spent on education.The government has recognised the need to increase enrolment and introduced a 10-year programme for the development of education, which is aiming for a 70 percent enrolment rate by 2012 and also plans to hire 25,000 teachers.In June 2006, a $100 million education fund was frozen after a report by an auditing firm found that about $8 million had gone missing. The ministers of education and health were both dismissed from their posts.
Children
Almost half the population of Niger is younger than 14. Infant mortality is 150 for every 1,000 live births and one out of four children dies before the age of five.
Malnutrition is the biggest threat to children. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 40 percent of children under five are moderately to severely underweight and have stunted growth.
Mothers also practise poor nutritional habits that have a detrimental effect on children. Fewer than 2 percent of all mothers exclusively breast feed, and many start giving babies solid food too early.
There’s also a superstition that babies who are given water may become thieves when they are older, resulting in dehydration.
Girls are often promised into marriage at a young age, particularly in rural areas. By the age of 10, some are already sent to live with their husband’s family.
Child labour is widespread. UNICEF estimates that 67 percent of children between five and 14 are engaged in some form of labour. The International Labour Organization reported that up to 250,000 children worked in small-scale mines and quarries and the French national broadcaster RFI reported that children were being sold in markets in certain parts of the country.
Many boys from rural areas were displaced to cities after being given to Koranic schools by their parents for economic reasons. Most are sent out to beg.
Health
The health situation in Niger is precarious. According to UNDP, there are three doctors per 100,000 people in Niger and a trained midwife tends to only 16 percent of the 600,000 people born every year.
Life expectancy at birth is 44.3 years and the maternal mortality rate is 700 deaths for every 100,000 live births.
Only 12 percent of the population uses adequate sanitation facilities, and this drops to 4 percent in rural areas. Combined with a malnutrition rate of 50 percent, the population is highly vulnerable to disease.
There have been outbreaks of cholera, meningitis and tuberculosis. Malaria is endemic and accounts for 50 percent of all deaths among children younger than five. There have been several cases of measles and polio.
With almost 60 percent of the population living below the poverty line, the cost of healthcare makes it inaccessible for the majority. The government has approved a plan to provide free healthcare to pregnant women and children under five, but does not yet have the funds to realise the proposal.
HIV/AIDS
According to the Ministry of Health, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is 0.87 percent, although the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) places the rate closer to 1.1 percent. The prevalence rate in urban settings is 2.8 percent, quadruple that in rural areas. HIV surveillance has been inconsistent and irregular with the most recent survey in 2000.
There are about 80,000 cases of HIV/AIDS in the country, including 9,000 children younger than 14 infected.
According to UNAIDS, 46,000 children younger than 17 have been orphaned by the syndrome.
In 2005, UNICEF intervened to provide emergency supplies of anti-retroviral treatments because none was available.
Food security
In 2005, Niger experienced the second worst food crisis in its modern history, and a third of the population was threatened by famine. The UN gave warning that 150,000 children could die.
Poor harvests in 2004 due to insufficient rain and locust infestations meant that most households ran out of supplies. Although food was available, prices more than doubled, putting it out of reach of the majority of the population.
Despite warnings from aid agencies, the region experienced a crisis, with people being forced to sell livestock and drastically reduce food consumption, resulting in acute malnutrition and overburdened health centres.
The food shortage affected about 3.3 million people, including 800,000 children under five. Officials estimated cereal deficits at 223,448 tonnes and livestock feed deficits at 4,642,219 tonnes.
After delayed rains, the harvests for 2006 appeared promising; however, early warning reports showed that vulnerability levels in some areas were almost as critical as in 2005 and pockets of severe food insecurity were reappearing.
The number of children admitted into nutritional feeding centres run by NGOs and UN agencies in Niger since the beginning of the year was more than 300,000.
In February 2006, there were confirmed cases of bird flu.
Gender issues
Patriarchal customs have meant slow progress on the rights of women in Niger. Women are often discriminated against in education and employment. Only men can be the head of household, even in the case of divorced and widowed women with children, denying women certain legal rights. Property rights are also only extended to men.
The US State Department reported that some women in the eastern part of the country were cloistered and could leave their homes only if escorted by a male relative and usually only after dark.
According to the ministry for the promotion of women, the illiteracy rate among women is 92 percent. A statistical report by UNICEF on underage marriage found Niger had the highest percentage, with 60 percent of girls between 15 and 19 already married. Most of these unions were polygamous and almost 90 percent of the girls had not received any education.
In June 2006, Niger's parliament voted down Africa's Maputo Protocol on women's rights, an accord aiming to guarantee women’s equality in all spheres of life.
The law in Niger mandates that women receive 25 percent of senior government positions and fill 10 percent of elected seats.
In 2005, there were 14 women in the National Assembly and six female ministers in the cabinet.
Human rights
Niger showed its commitment to improving human rights by establishing the National Committee for Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, an independent body whose mandate is to promote human rights and investigate violations.
Efforts were made by the government to fight corruption. It also emphasised the importance of children’s rights by signing a multilateral anti-trafficking agreement with eight neighbouring countries, and trying to reduce child abuse and labour.
The traditional practice of slavery still exists in Niger, despite the adoption of a law in 2003 forbidding the keeping and trading of slaves.
Most slaves in Niger today are the descendents of slaves who were kidnapped in wars and raids centuries ago, and were simply born into their status. Most slaves are severely abused by their masters. In 2005, a ceremony that was to release 7,000 slaves was cancelled by the government, who denied the existence of slavery in the country.
Niger has jailed five leaders of recent protests against a new tax on basic food stuffs, and has charged them with plotting against the state and forming an unauthorised association.
Humanitarian needs
Food security remains a constant concern in Niger, particularly after the crisis in 2005.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), almost 30 percent of the population needs emergency food aid and 3.6 million people face catastrophic hunger. Malnutrition in some of the most impoverished regions affects 40 percent of children.
The situation is exacerbated by worsening conditions for cattle rearing. Diminishing pastures and the high cost of feed have led to poor quality cattle and low market prices.
In September 2006, the homes of more than 32,000 people were destroyed by floods. Devastated areas consequently suffered outbreaks of cholera.
Malaria, meningitis and gastroenteritis are all endemic in the country. |
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| Niger in figures | · Population: 13,5 million
· Pop. growth rate: 3.2%
· Pop. below poverty line: 63%
· Life expectancy: 44.3 years
· Infant mortality: 152 deaths/1,000 live births
· Access to med. services: N/A
· HIV prevalence: 1.1%
· Access to clean water: urban 80%, rural 36%
· Access to electricity: urban 37%, rural 0%
· Literacy rate: men 43%, women 15%
· Doctors/people: 0.03/1000
· Displaced people: N/A
· Refugees: N/A
· Human Development Index: 0.311 (HDI 2006 Rank 177)
Sources: UNDP, UNAIDS, World Bank, WHO, UNICEF |
| Basic facts | Capital: Niamey
Language: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Ethnic Groups: Hausa 52.8%, Djerma 14.7%, Peul 10.4%, Kanori 8.7%, Songhai 8.1%, Tuareg 3%, Toubou 0.5 %, others 1.8%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 90.7%, traditional beliefs 8.7%, Christian 0.5%
Geography: Predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Border countries: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Nigeria
Natural resources: uranium, coal, tin, gold, gypsum, salt
Agriculture products: wheat, cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Africa South of the Sahara 2005 |
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