From 16 to 17 September 2025, the Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (RNDDH), in partnership with International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), organised in Niamey a workshop on the dissemination of the law defining the rights and duties of human rights defenders in Niger.
Niger, as with several other West African countries, has adopted a law defining the recognition and protection of human rights defenders (HRDs), thereby, establishing a legal framework for the protection of HRDs on its territory.
Conscious of the need to appropriate the provisions of Act 2022-27 of 20 June 2022 defining the rights and duties of human rights defenders in Niger, that RNDDH, with the support of ISHR, brought together about twenty HRDs with the aim of disseminating the law on the protection of HRDs and identifying the strengths, weaknesses and lessons learned from its implementation three years after its adoption.
During the two days of activities, the participants explored the international and national legal framework for the protection of HRDs, recognised the specific protection provided to women HRDs and HRDs living with disabilities in the Nigerien law.
However, participants deplored the weak protection afforded by this law considering several factors, including the current socio-political context in the country, which exposes them to risks and reprisals.
In view of the identified challenges, participants acknowledged the need to establish a national mechanism for the protection of HRDs that would address the weaknesses of the current law.
On 18 September 2025, Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (RNDDH), in partnership with International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), organised an advocacy workshop in Niamey on the establishment of a national mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders in Niger.
The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) of Mali has developed a manual on the protection of human rights defenders to facilitate implementation of its protection mandate.
From 3 to 4 July 2025, with financial support from International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) of Mali organised a training workshop for human rights defenders on the legal framework for their protection and the national mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders.
