afrol News, 7 April - The government of Niger has been dragged to the Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS [the Economic Community of West African States] in Nigeria over its failure to implement laws against slavery introduced in 2003.

Backed by anti-slavery activists and human rights lawyers, a former slave, Hadijatou Mani filed the historic case against Niger with the hope of bringing an end to the barbaric culture. A full application of the 2003 laws would have protected Hadijatou from being further enslaved.

Niger government, that claimed to do all it could to avert slavery, was represented at the court by high-ranking officials, including the Prime Minister, Justice Minister and Speaker of Parliament.

But Ms Mani blamed the government for its continuous legitimization of slavery through discriminatory customary laws. She said these laws contradicted the constitution and criminal code.

In 2003, Niger's parliament passed a bill that decriminalized slavery. Under the law, offenders can be sent to jail for up to 30 years.

At 12 years, Hadijatou was sold into slavery for Ł250. Like other slaves, she was forced to do domestic and agricultural work and lived as a sexual slave or "sadaka" [gift] to her master, who had already had wives and seven other "sadaka."

She served her master and his family for 10 years in complete submission without being paid a dime, although she was subjected to regular beatings and sexual violence.
Her circumstances fall squarely within the longstanding internationally accepted definition of slavery as:

Hadijatou's life became even more complicated in 2005 when she was married to a man of her choice upon release from slavery. Her master insisted that she was still married to him.

She was taken to court and subsequently sentenced to six months in prison after she was found guilty of bigamy.

Activists said about 43,000 are still being enslaved across Niger. These people - who are made to do all labour required by their masters without pay - are born into an established slave class.

Slaves are inherited, given as gifts and can have their children taken away from their mothers at an early age, anti-slavery activists said.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Tweet

Printable version

On the Afrol News front page now

UN will not monitor human rights in Western Sahara afrol News - The US has backed down on its demand that UN peacekeepers in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara also shall monitor the human rights situation after Moroccan sources threatened to scale down relations with Washington. Read more

Central African Republic

Central African Republic falling apart afrol News - One month after the rebel movement Séléka took over power in the Central African Republic, unrest is spreading in the country. The new leader lacks control of his forces, which continue looting and abusing civilians. Read more

Kenya

Kenyatta secures tight victory in Kenya afrol News - The official election results in Kenya have finally been announced, and Uhuru Kenyatta managed to win the first poll round outright with a narrow 50.7 percent. But the main opponent, PM Raila Odinga, is filing a vote rigging complaint to the courts. Read more

Cape Verde Cape Verde to produce dragon fruit afrol News - Cape Verde authorities have invested large sums to diversify the arid country's agricultural sector. Now, the dragon fruit, originating in tropical America, is being introduced for the first commercial production in Africa. Read more

Egypt Even governors in Pharaonic Egypt died in their 20s afrol News - Researchers have analysed more than 200 mummies from ancient Egypt, finding that even high dignitaries were poorly nourished and had infectious diseases. The typical governor in Pharaonic Egypt died before he was 30 years old. Read more