Category: Middle East

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on Migrant Workers today concluded its consideration of the second periodic report of Niger under the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, with Committee Experts welcoming the State’s legislation focused on the protection of migrants, while raising issues concerning bilateral agreements with other countries and the migration centre in Agadez. 

Khaled Cheikhna Babacar, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur,

welcomed that the Niger had ratified the 10 key International Labour Organization Conventions, 2018 legislation that included principles of social protection for migrants, and bilateral agreements that had been reached with neighbouring countries on migrant workers.

Myriam Poussi, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said most of the bilateral agreements the Niger had reportedly formed with countries in the region were seemingly not applied.  Could the delegation comment on this?  Were the agreements with Türkiye and Morocco referred to in the report in effect?  The State party had yet to set up a committee to follow-up on the implementation of the agreement with Algeria.  What benefits were migrant workers provided with through the agreement with Tunisia?

A Committee Expert said the reform of the law on illegal smuggling of migrants addressed the outsourcing of processing of migrants by the European Union to the migration centre in Agadez, which had led to increased trafficking in the region.  How was the State party addressing this situation?  Did the withdrawal of the Niger from the Economic Community of West African States impact the organization’s agreement on freedom of movement?

Alio Daouda, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Niger, Keeper of the Seals and head of the delegation, said the legislation of the Niger guaranteed migrant workers access to social protection, including health and education.  Migrant workers had access to the competent administrative and judicial bodies in the event of violations of their rights and had access to free legal assistance and redress mechanisms.  The major obstacle to the realisation of human rights of migrant workers in the Niger remained terrorism, which had a profound negative impact on the realisation of human rights.   

The delegation said the Niger had suspended bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia, Libya and Algeria, as these countries had violated these agreements, repatriating many migrants from the Niger. Every time the Niger formed a labour agreement, it set up a body to monitor the implementation of the agreement and protect workers’ rights.  The State party had conducted activities to ensure that private recruitment agencies were aware of their responsibilities to protect migrant workers.  Portions of migrant workers’ salaries could not be withheld by these agencies.

The delegation said the humanitarian centre at Agadez hosted asylum seekers and refugees.  The State party was assessing asylum requests.  Transit centres managed by the International Organization for Migration were also in place that hosted migrants and processed their repatriation. Algeria expatriated about 500 foreign migrants to Agadez every month, forcing them to walk about 15 kilometres through the desert to reach the transit centres.  The Niger was calling on Algeria to change the way it expelled people, which violated the rights of these migrants. 

In concluding remarks, Sabrina Gahar, Committee Expert and Co-Rapporteur, said the Niger’s report showed that the State was committed to protecting the rights of migrant workers and their families.  However, there was still a lot to do to guarantee that the rights of migrant workers and members of their families were fully respected and protected.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Daouda expressed gratitude for the attention given to the report and the efforts of the Niger to guarantee the basic rights of migrants and their families.  The State acknowledged the remaining challenges, but would tackle them with conviction and would step up efforts to meet the provisions under the Convention. 

The delegation of Niger was made up of representatives of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Department of Political, Administrative, Legal and Diplomatic Affairs; National Agency for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons; Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Employment; Ministry of the Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration; and the Permanent Mission of Niger to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee on Migrant Workers’ fortieth session is being held from 7 to 17 April.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. this afternoon, Wednesday, 9 April, to consider the combined initial and second periodic report of Jamaica (CMW/C/JAM/1-2).

Report

The Committee has before it the second periodic report of the Niger (CMW/C/NER/2).

Presentation of the Report

ALIO DAOUDA, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Niger, Keeper of the Seals and head of the delegation, expressed sincere regret that the Convention currently had only 60 States parties, 34 of which were from the African continent.  No country among the main destinations of migrants had ratified it.  By acting together, in a spirit of universal solidarity, States could ensure a future for migrant workers based on the values of dignity, fairness and mutual respect.

The events of 26 July 2023 had led to the coming to power of the Defence and Security Forces of the Niger.  This seizure of power, which immediately received popular support, was motivated by the rejection of security models and bad governance.  Following this change of regime, the State experienced unprecedented, illegal sanctions, decided by the Economic Community of West African States and the West African Economic and Monetary Union, materialised by the closure of borders, the cessation of the supply of foodstuffs and medicines, and the blocking of access to savings in banks. 

These sanctions were guided by Western powers using regional and international organizations as tools for geopolitical domination.  They had deprived millions of innocent inhabitants, nationals and foreigners alike, of food, healthcare, medicine, education, freedom of movement, access to their savings, access to electricity, dignity and well-being, in the face of the deafening, complicit silence of international organizations.  The world needed to denounce this situation and work for an international order based on dignity and mutual respect.

The National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland, upon its accession to power in July 2023, reaffirmed its commitment to respect human rights as defined by the treaties and conventions to which the country had freely subscribed.  The Niger, well-known for its hospitality as a country of transit and origin of migratory flows, attached particular importance to the protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families.

In the context of the security situation, which had been marked by the recurrence of attacks by armed terrorist groups supported by foreign powers, the Niger had adopted ordinance no. 2023-02 of 28 July 2023 on the organization of public authorities during the transition period, and the 2025 Constitution, which guaranteed human rights as enshrined in international instruments.  The revised Labour Code had been developed to better protect migrant workers’ rights, while the revised Penal Code, which was in the process of being adopted, prohibited all forms of discrimination and harassment, including discrimination based on national origin.

The legislation of the Niger guaranteed migrant workers access to social protection, including health and education. Migrant workers had access to the competent administrative and judicial bodies in the event of violations of their rights and had access to free legal assistance and redress mechanisms.  In addition, institutions had been set up to combat trafficking in persons and to manage migratory flows, particularly in transit regions such as Agadez.  The Niger was working closely with the International Organization for Migration to provide humanitarian assistance and build local capacity.  It was working to develop initiatives to provide accurate information to migrants, facilitating their access to legal identity documents and promoting ethical recruitment practices.

Despite measures taken to combat migrant smuggling, criminal networks continued to exploit vulnerable migrants, especially women and children.  This situation was worsened by neighbouring countries that pushed back hundreds of migrants from the Niger and other countries to the territory of the Niger, despite the signing of several bilateral and regional agreements.  In 2022, 18,728 migrants were pushed back to the Niger.  In addition, conflicts in neighbouring countries and humanitarian crises were increasing the migratory pressure on the Niger, further complicating the implementation of migration policies.  In this context, revisions to the national employment and migration policies were being developed.  All these challenges required national, regional and international efforts to ensure that the rights of migrant workers were protected in an effective and sustainable manner.

The major obstacle to the realisation of human rights of migrant workers in the Niger remained terrorism, which had a profound negative impact on the realisation of human rights.  Attacks in the border regions had led to massive displacement of populations, creating a humanitarian crisis that affected all rights.  These barbaric acts, which intended to sow fear and divide, would never succeed in shaking the State’s unity and resilience.

The Niger was committed to honouring its international obligations and to working actively with the Committee to ensure the effective implementation of the Convention.

Questions by Committee Experts

KHALED CHEIKHNA BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said that the Niger had a border of over 7,000 kilometres and was affected by violence from Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria.  There were numerous migrants travelling through the Niger to Europe; many refugees were stranded in the desert and internally displaced persons were exploited by gangs and needed support.

Mr. Babacar welcomed that the Niger had ratified the 10 key International Labour Organization Conventions.  Would it ratify conventions addressing migrant workers, domestic workers, workplace harassment and labour inspection?  Were there complaint mechanisms in place that workers in the informal sector, including domestic workers, could access? The Expert welcomed that the Labour Code was being revised; this was a good opportunity to address its shortcomings. Would the State party develop specific legislation to protect domestic workers?  Would the national action plan on migration be revised to include measures to promote the registration of the children of migrants?

Mr. Babacar welcomed 2018 legislation that included principles of social protection for migrants, and bilateral agreements that had been reached with neighbouring countries on migrant workers.  What measures were included in these agreements that protected migrant workers’ rights, including the right to join trade unions?  The Niger permitted the activities of private recruitment agencies, which had abusive recruitment practices such as charging workers 20 per cent of their salaries. What would the Niger do to combat these practices?

MYRIAM POUSSI, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the State party’s report did not sufficiently describe the situation of migrant workers and provided incomplete information on activities being undertaken by the State.  Could the delegation provide more information about progress in reforming the Labour Code? What provisions of the Convention would be addressed in the Code?  How would the State party promote its implementation?  What had been achieved by the national action plan on migration? What activities had been organised in the last five years to promote and protect the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families?

Could the delegation provide more information on the practice of wahaya? Were there plans to prosecute the perpetrators of this practice, which could be tantamount to a form of sexual slavery?  Female migrant workers could be victims of this practice.

Most of the bilateral agreements the Niger had reportedly formed with countries in the region were seemingly not applied.  Could the delegation comment on this?  Were the agreements with Türkiye and Morocco referred to in the report in effect?  The State party had yet to set up a committee to follow-up on the implementation of the agreement with Algeria.  What benefits were migrant workers provided with through the agreement with Tunisia?

What services did the Office for Returned Migrants provide and how many people had it helped?  What information was provided to the Niger diaspora and in what form?  How did the State register and support returnees to reintegrate into society, and promote the repatriation of funds by migrant workers to the Niger?  Had the State party established a joint committee on illegal smuggling and trafficking? What was the committee’s composition and mandate?

Another Committee Expert asked whether returning Niger migrant workers were able to receive pensions.  Were civil servants informed about their obligations under the Convention?  What civil society organizations in the State party were dealing with the rights of migrant workers?  What dispute mechanisms were available for migrant workers?  Did the State party have information on detained migrant workers?  What legal support did the State party provide for migrant workers abroad?

One Committee Expert asked how civil society organizations had contributed to the State party’s report.  Why had the State party not yet accepted articles 76 and 77 of the Convention, despite having expressed a desire to do so in 2022?

A Committee Expert said the reform of the law on illegal smuggling of migrants addressed the outsourcing of processing of migrants by the European Union to the migration centre in Agadez, which had led to increased trafficking in the region.  How was the State party addressing this situation?  Did the withdrawal of the Niger from the Economic Community of West African States impact the organization’s agreement on freedom of movement?

Another Committee Expert said migrants in the region were victims of deportation, incommunicado detention and other human rights violations, and many perished in the Sahara Desert.  How did the State party address these issues and protect migrants from refoulement? Why was there a comparatively low rate of migration from the Niger to Europe and the Americas?

A Committee Expert asked whether the national mechanism for following up on treaty body recommendations cooperated with civil society organizations on issues related to migration.  What support did the Labour Ministry provide to migrants?  Why was the National Human Rights Commission dissolved in 2023?  Did the Commission deal with cases or issue recommendations related to migrant workers? When would a new national human rights institution be set up, what would its mandate be, and what resources would it have?  Many migrants being held in migration centres in the Niger were struggling to return to their countries of origin.  How was the State party supporting them?  Had courts referred to the provisions of the Convention, and had this had an impact on law or public policy on migration in the State party?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Niger provided advice to migrants abroad so they were aware of their rights.  However, it had limited resources and could not devote additional resources to supporting this policy.

The 2015 law on illegal smuggling included a provision criminalising the illegal crossing of borders that ran counter to the Palermo Protocol.  The Niger had thus repealed the law to bring it in line with the Protocol.  Migrants were made more vulnerable to traffickers under the law.  The State remained a member of the Economic Community of West African States and its agreement on freedom of movement.  Some countries and terrorist groups attacked territory of the Niger; the State party had implemented legal and policy measures to repel these attacks.

The Niger had an inter-ministerial committee for developing State party reports that included members of civil society in the process.  The Niger continued to support civil society.

Foreign workers in the Niger could join trade unions but needed to live in the country for three years to hold management positions in trade unions. Domestic workers and workers in the informal sector could submit complaints to trade unions.  The Labour Code included provisions enshrining the principle of non-discrimination and access to education and trade unions for migrant workers.

The Niger had suspended bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia, Libya and Algeria, as these countries had violated these agreements, repatriating many migrants from the Niger.  Every time the Niger formed a labour agreement, it set up a body to monitor the implementation of the agreement and protect workers’ rights.  The State party had conducted activities to ensure that private recruitment agencies were aware of their responsibilities to protect migrant workers.  Portions of migrant workers’ salaries could not be withheld by these agencies.

The Niger had ratified 41 International Labour Organization Conventions and two protocols.  It had implemented activities to protect domestic workers and disseminate the International Labour Organization Convention on domestic workers, with support from United Nations agencies.  The Niger had not yet ratified International Labour Organization Convention 190 on violence in the workplace but was working to do so, and conducting training on preventing such violence.

The State party had ratified conventions on labour inspection and administration.  There were 10 labour inspectorates established in major towns.  Labour inspections were conducted regularly in the formal and informal sectors.  The Government had bolstered the capacities of inspectors through training, which stressed the importance of protecting migrant workers.  The revised Labour Code was still a draft.  The State party had identified deficiencies in the Code that it sought to review to align the Code with the Convention.

The national migration policy included numerous measures to protect and support migrants and refugees and manage migration flows.  There was a law on the status of migrant workers that allowed migrants to be registered in the civil registry.  The births of the children of migrants were recorded.  A 2023 review on the implementation of the policy found progress had been made in police officers’ and civil society’s knowledge of migrants’ rights, thanks to training on this subject from the State. This training was being revised to address the impact of climate change on migrants.

The humanitarian centre at Agadez hosted asylum seekers and refugees.  The State party was assessing asylum requests. Transit centres managed by the International Organization for Migration were also in place that hosted migrants and processed their repatriation.  Algeria expatriated about 500 foreign migrants to Agadez every month, forcing them to walk about 15 kilometres through the desert to reach the transit centres.  The Niger was calling on Algeria to change the way it expelled people, which violated the rights of these migrants.  There were some migrants who were forced to stay at transit centres for one year due to difficulties in identifying their countries of origin and repatriating them. The Niger could not afford to pay for repatriation flights for migrants.

An inter-ministerial committee and a technical committee on repatriation of Niger nationals abroad were set up in 2024.  The former committee was tasked with managing returns and taking people to their towns of origin, while the latter conducted studies on repatriation and assisted reintegration activities.  Officials went to host countries to organise repatriation operations, which were paid for by the Niger.

Questions by Committee Experts 

KHALED CHEIKHNA BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked if the labour inspectors held a specific status, ensuring they had enough resources to perform their tasks impartially?  The Niger had a national action plan to combat child labour, with support from the International Labour Organization.  Had an assessment of the plan taken place? What actions had been taken in terms of planning after 2018?  The Niger had rolled out awareness raising campaigns for the labour market, which concluded in 2022; what actions had been undertaken since then?  Were there any possibilities for remedies or appeals against expulsions or deportations? 

A Committee Expert commended the Niger for taking an inclusive approach to drafting the report; what was the consultation process followed during the preparation of the report?  Had external partners been consulted?  What was the role of civil society in the preparation of the report? Regarding multilateral agreements with several countries, what measures had been taken for children and women on the move from the Niger?  Had the Niger been able to pinpoint barriers in integrating the migration policy?  Could information be provided about the protection of the statistical data of migrants? 

Could more details be provided about the specific causes of insecurity which had caused children to be displaced in the five regions? What measures had been taken to protect the rights of displaced children?  Was there a response plan to support internally displaced persons, including children?  What initiatives had been taken to ensure displaced children could have access to education?  What psycho-social support was available to these children?  Was there a mechanism to follow up on the number of children who were displaced? 

MYRIAM POUSSI, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the delegation had mentioned a tripartite memorandum between the Niger, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which had provided assistance to hundreds of unaccompanied children.  How many children had received this assistance?  Could details of the beneficiaries of assistance be provided? Had the resettlement of these children in third countries taken place?  Which countries did this occur in?  How many children were affected by this settlement? 

What had been the outcome of the strategy to strengthen systems along the migration route?  What was the timeline to ensure that the new protection strategy was finalised?  What was the hosting capacity of the six holistic centres, created to deal with gender-based violence?  How did they operate?  Did they fall under the management of a specific State body? What was the training provided to the individuals running these centres?  What assistance was provided to those living in these centres? 

Another Committee Expert said the Niger faced security threats, including terrorism which could impact the services provided to migrant workers.  What measures had been taken in terms of training the military, border guards, the judiciary and other officials implementing the rights of migrant workers to respond to terrorism situations which involved migrants, in line with international best practices? 

A Committee Expert said the Niger faced issues due to sanctions from European countries.  Did these countries take steps to support migrant workers from the Niger to improve their rights?  What types of consular services could the Niger provide for these workers? 

Another Expert asked if the diaspora still had five of the 100 seats in the National Assembly reserved?  This was a very high figure.  Was the migration rate still 3.8 per cent?  What instruments governed the Niger now that the Constitution was suspended? Could the State elaborate on the situation of the national human rights body?  What was the true situation of statelessness in the country?  Was there legislation and data collection? 

A Committee Expert asked if refugee children were actually refugees, or if there were migrants amongst them?  There were 237 unaccompanied children who were refugees and over 1,000 had been separated from their families in 2024.  What support was provided to these children?  Were they housed in the same camps as other migrants? What steps were taken to avoid situations of statelessness?  What was the State party doing to assist migrants returning to the Niger?  How was their reintegration being assisted and what support was being given?   

The report from the High Commissioner found that there were migrants who were not from the Economic Community of West African States area, who had been subject to refoulment from Algeria, Syria, Egypt and Yemen.  These migrants were often denied access to the Niger, which was discriminatory and ran counter to international law.  The report stated these people were returned 500 kilometres northeast of the capital and could not submit a request for asylum.  Could the delegation comment on this?  What was the fate of these migrants?  What was being done to provide them with the international protection they were entitled to? 

Responses by the Delegation

Regarding people received from Syria and Yemen, the delegation said the State had its own problems when it came to managing domestic security and needed to allocate resources to its own people.  The situation in the Niger was complicated. The report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights referred to one spontaneous refoulment relating to a specific population.  There were a number of resettlement programmes dedicated to these individuals. The Niger had never claimed that the fight against terrorism was a grounds to human rights not being respected. Why did the Committee not question those who financed terrorism, like the French, who wanted to steal the Niger’s resources?  These questions were disturbing.  Soldiers of the Niger did not violate the laws; they were trained on human rights issues. There were specific units within the army who dealt with criminal proceedings. 

There were no financial resources provided to civil society to prepare and submit reports in the Niger.  Civil society was involved in the design of the reports; they participated on the same footing as all partners and made proposals.  Mobilising resources to civil society was a challenge, but they were involved in discussions.  In many countries of the subregion, the wahaya, or “fifth wives” practice existed, but the Niger had addressed this issue and sanctioned its practice. 

The Niger had had security agencies run by foreigners who wanted to take part in the destabilisation of the regime.  Weapons of war had been found in the warehouses, under the control of France, to attack the Niger.  Therefore, there was no choice but to prohibit this profession to foreigners.  The State would not hesitate to take additional measures to protect its national security.
Displaced children were sometimes displaced due to terrorism from Nigeria.  The Niger faced a problem in this regard.  There were a few countries whose populations had been refouled to the Niger. The Niger needed to focus on the resettlement of its own people in its own borders and could not always assist those returned to other countries.

The term wahaya did not actually refer to a “fifth wife”; there was no marriage involved.  This referred to a woman who had been bought, given or exchanged.  It was defined as a form of slavery.  Civil society organizations were fully involved in all stages of the report, including data collection.  The 2023 ordinance superseded the Constitution and equated to the new Constitution.  This ordinance was for Government powers during the transition.  The ordinance was repealed last month after the new Charter was adopted.  The same rights in the Constitution were enshrined in this new State Charter, meaning there was no Constitutional vacuum. 

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of migrants had spent eight days in the Niger, during which he found that the 2015 ordinance ran counter to the Convention.  Banning migration meant migrants had to change their itineraries and take more dangerous roads, resulting in hundreds of deaths.  There were modules held throughout schools for training, as well as throughout the police, gendarmerie and judiciary.  The State went to remote areas to organise training workshops on the Convention and all other instruments entered into by the State. 

The Niger was party to the two Conventions on Statelessness. Children who faced statelessness in the Niger who were in the country and met the necessary conditions could acquire citizenship.  Children whose parents were unknown could also apply for citizenship.  There were no stateless individuals in the country. 

The diaspora document had been drafted by the private sector, civil society and the Government.  This was a guide for returnees who wished to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.  The Niger had five seats in the National Assembly dedicated to the diaspora before the Constitution.  There were large communities of Niger nationals in Benin, Sudan and Burkina Faso, among others, which was the reason for this choice. 

All the texts for the Human Rights Observatory were ready and it should be established soon.  It would have the same competencies as the Human Rights Commission.  In addition to the technical services in charge of migration, migrants also received training to ensure they could stay in the Niger. 

Refugees could not be refouled to countries where their lives could be at risk, but migrants could go to courts with an expedited procedure. The Niger as a member country of the International Labour Organization was aware that the ratification of international labour standards would make it possible to guarantee the protection of migrant workers.  The resources available to the labour inspectors were lacking and while they had a specific status, they encountered difficulties in carrying out their everyday work.  To date, the Niger did not have a national action plan to combat child labour, but it was in the process of drafting this plan. 

The bilateral agreements the Niger had signed with countries of destination each had their own specific features and focused on social security.  The Niger had made significant progress with Qatar and was in the process of drawing up a memorandum of understanding. 

Refugee children from the Niger were not held together with adults, but were placed in foster families, who were supported to care for these children.  Children who had been placed in foster families benefitted from State support, free of charge health care, and access to school.  Their parents could have access to the justice system without any restrictions.  Despite meagre resources, the Niger had been able to welcome Africans from other nationalities and provide them with the necessary care. 

Questions by Committee Experts 

SABRINA GAHAR, Committee Expert and Co-Rapporteur, asked for more information about cooperation with non-governmental organizations?  How did the Government collaborate and cooperate to meet the specific needs of vulnerable groups?  The Committee commended the Niger on the strategy to combat gender-based violence.  Had an assessment of the strategy been conducted?  What were the success indicators?  Did the strategy concern harmful practices against migrant girls? 

What measures were taken by the State to combat sexual violence against women and girls in certain regions?  It was reported that some women were trapped and forced into prostitution to survive.  They were forced into certain sexual practices with security agents at border posts, with some falling pregnant and contracting sexually transmitted diseases at an early age.  It was also reported that smugglers sold these women.  How did the State protect these women against smugglers and those involved in human trafficking?  What measures and strategies had been implemented to protect children from practices, such as begging? 

KHALED CHEIKHNA BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what sanctions were handed down if the provisions of the Labour Code were violated?  What efforts had the State party made to guarantee better assistance to unaccompanied and separated children? 

MYRIAM POUSSI, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what was being done to ensure that the right of migrant workers to transfer social security benefits could be made effective?  What measures had Niger taken to fill the protection gaps for the rights of migrant workers who came from the Economic Commission of West African States? Was it planned to sign bilateral agreements to bridge the protection gap?  Could more information be provided about the joint teamwork made up of French, Spanish and Niger police to combat smugglers networks; was this work still ongoing?  How did the team work in combatting these networks? 

An Expert asked what specific measures had been taken to assist migrants impacted by climate change?  Were there migrants in the various mining areas?  What kind of support was provided to them? 

Responses by the Delegation 

The delegation said the Niger had established a human rights institution which had an A status, in line with the Paris Principles.  The State tried to find foster families for unaccompanied children in local communities, and supported them.  It could not be proven that women were forced into prostitution and to have sex with the defence forces.  In 2023, measures were taken to sanction security forces and efforts were taken to prosecute any officer committing offences. In Niger, the Labour Code was clear; those working fell under the protection of the Labour Code regardless of nationality.  Foreigners were protected by the Labour Code and if their rights were violated, there were remedies.  There were labour inspectorates for anyone whose rights were violated, and the inspectors were swamped by complaints.  All workers were aware of the inspectorate and did not hesitate to consult its members in the event of a violation of rights.  There were also labour courts which workers could access, whether they were nationals or foreigners. 

Closing Remarks

KHALED CHEIKHNA BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, thanked the delegation of Niger for the dialogue and for attempting to reply to the Committee’s questions.  The candidacy of the delegation was appreciated.

MYRIAM POUSSI, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the presence of the delegation made it clear that the Niger had the clear intention of advancing the rights of migrants.  The State should continue to improve the situation for migrant workers in the country. 

SABRINA GAHAR, Committee Expert and Co-Rapporteur, thanked the delegation for all the information provided and the interesting discussions had. The State’s report showed that Niger was committed to protecting the rights of migrant workers and their families. The initiatives showed best practices and strategies aimed at improving migrants’ situations. However, there was still a lot to do to guarantee that the rights of migrant workers and the members of their families were fully respected and protected. 

ALIO DAOUDA, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Niger, Keeper of the Seals and head of the delegation, expressed gratitude for the attention given to the report and the efforts of the Niger to guarantee the basic rights of migrants and their families.  The interactive dialogue was vital to building a society where human rights and equity were accessible to all, including migrant workers.  The State acknowledged the remaining challenges, but would tackle them with conviction and would step up efforts to meet the provisions under the Convention.  The Niger looked forward to the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations.  Mr. Daouda thanked all those who had made the dialogue possible. 

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not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

 

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