Country fact sheet: Niger
Women’s rights in law and practice in Niger: key indicators, treaties, ten laws and their gaps, recent developments and reforms recommended.
Last updated · October 30, 2026
Country fact sheet · Niger · women’s rights in law and practice
Read from RFLD’s Niger legal profile, October 2026. “Gaps recorded” means a treaty body, the government or national organisations have reported shortcomings in the law or its application.
Treaty commitments
| Maputo Protocol | signed 06/07/2004; not ratified |
| CEDAW | accession 08/10/1999 |
| CEDAW Optional Protocol | accession 30/09/2004 |
| African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child | ratified 11/12/1996; deposited 05/03/1997 |
| ILO C190 Violence and Harassment Convention | not ratified |
Ten laws that matter for women, and their gaps
| Topic | Law | Gaps recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Gender-based and domestic violence | No specific domestic violence law | Women have no dedicated legal protection against domestic violence; a draft revision of the Penal Code covering sexual violence was still pending in 2024. |
| Rape and sexual offences | Draft revision of the Penal Code | – |
| Female genital mutilation | Loi n°2003-25 du 13 juin 2003 modifiant la loi n°61-27 du 15 juillet 1961 (Code pénal), articles 232.1 à 232.3 | – |
| Child marriage and age of marriage | Civil Code | 76% of women were married before 18 and 28% before 15 (DHS 2012). |
| Family and personal status | Code civil, articles 212, 213 et 215 | The husband is head of household and chooses the residence, and Niger has no family code. |
| Land and property | Ordonnance n°93-015 (Principes d’orientation du Code rural), articles 8 à 10 | Together with articles 1421 and 1428 of the Civil Code it does not give married women equal rights to own and administer property. |
| Abortion and sexual and reproductive health | Loi sur la santé de la reproduction au Niger, adoptée le 24 mai 2006, articles 2, 15 et 16 | Abortion is otherwise prohibited. |
| Political participation and quotas | Law 2000-008 of 7 June 2000, amended by Law 2019-69 of 24 December 2019 | Elected bodies were dissolved after the July 2023 coup. |
| Human rights defenders | Law on human rights defenders adopted 15 June 2022 | – |
| Online violence and cybercrime | Cybercrime law of 2019, amended by Ordinance 2024-28 of 7 June 2024 | Journalists have been arrested under the law. |
Recent developments
- 26 March 2025. Charte de la Refondation promulgated, setting a five-year transition; all political parties dissolved the same day.
- 20 February 2024. CEDAW Committee adopted concluding observations on the fifth periodic report.
Reforms recommended
- Ratify the Maputo Protocol, signed in 2004.
- Raise the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18.
Sexual violence law reform since 2020
RFLD and its member organisations have advocated for stronger laws on sexual violence in Niger since 2020. Pending: A draft revision of the Penal Code on rape, FGM, sexual harassment and wahaya, pending since 2024.
RFLD in Niger
Niger is one of the eight countries of RFLD’s Afrofeminist Initiative for Human Rights Development in Francophone West Africa, supported by the SEA-T programme (GIZ, on behalf of BMZ). See our countries of work and the West Africa legal scorecard 2026.
Sources and updates
Every entry comes from RFLD’s Niger legal profile, which cites the official text or source for each line. Last checked: October 2026. Corrections: programs@rflgd.org.
Frequently asked questions
Has Niger ratified the Maputo Protocol?
No. Niger’s status is: signed 06/07/2004; not ratified.
What is the minimum age of marriage in Niger?
Minimum age of marriage is 15 for girls and 18 for boys, with exceptions through parental consent and presidential dispensation. A national action plan to end child marriage was adopted in 2018. Gap recorded: 76% of women were married before 18 and 28% before 15 (DHS 2012). (Civil Code)
Is female genital mutilation banned in Niger?
Loi n°2003-25 du 13 juin 2003 modifiant la loi n°61-27 du 15 juillet 1961 (Code pénal), articles 232.1 à 232.3. Criminalises FGM with 6 months to 3 years of imprisonment and a fine, 10 to 20 years if the victim dies, equal penalties for accomplices and heavier penalties with a possible ban from practice for health professionals.
Does Niger have a law on violence against women?
No specific domestic violence law. The World Bank found no legal provisions specifically addressing domestic violence or femicide in Niger. Gap recorded: Women have no dedicated legal protection against domestic violence; a draft revision of the Penal Code covering sexual violence was still pending in 2024.
Does Niger have a gender quota?
Law 2000-008 of 7 June 2000, amended by Law 2019-69 of 24 December 2019. Sets at least 25% of elected seats for either sex and 30% for government and senior state appointments.
Cite and share
How to cite: RFLD (2026). Country fact sheet: Niger. Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement. https://rflgd.org/country-fact-sheets/niger-fact-sheet/ (accessed [date]).
Free to quote and share with attribution. Corrections: programs@rflgd.org.
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