CSO-Fund in Niger

This project was implemented in Niger between 2018-2022. The situation in Niger has since deteriorated due to the military coup in 2023, leading to increased violence, deterirating standards of living, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Oxfam is still, with support from Danida, responding to the needs in Niger. You can find more information about Oxfam's current work in Niger here: Oxfam Denmarks work in Niger

Niger faces significant challenges as one of the world's poorest nations, ranking 189th out of 191 countries in the 2021 Human Development Index. These challenges include weak institutions, shrinking civic space, inadequate judicial systems, limited freedom of expression and insufficient access to essential services like education and healthcare. Vulnerable marginalized groups such as women, children, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) bear the brunt of these challenges. The crises in Mali and Libya and the rise of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria have had serious consequences for Niger, promoting the proliferation of weapons and drugs and increasing influx of refugees.

Despite these challenges Niger has a vibrant civil society working across different sectors and regions in the country. Support to civil society organizations is vital to strengthening their role, legitimacy and voice in the society.

The programme project

The project promoted good governance, freedom of expression and the respect of human rights by supporting civil society organizations and independent administrative authorities. The primary objectives of the CSO-Fund were to enhance public awareness of human rights, empower civil society to play a more active role in peace negotiations, protect and respect people on the move and ensure access to unbiased and reliable media coverage. This was achieved through financial and technical support to civil society organizations in Niger, bolstering their work within these priorities.

The project focused on fostering inclusive participation by creating spaces for vulnerable marginalized groups, such as women and youth, to voice their concerns and drive social change. By empowering these groups, the initiative aimed to prevent conflicts related to issues like natural resource management and religious differences, transforming potential points of tension into opportunities for dialogue.

In media management, the project aimed to improve the professional and ethical standards of media organizations and journalists. Press freedom was strengthened by promoting self-regulation and supporting legal reforms, intended to align with modern technology of media practices, economic realities, and constitutional guidelines.

In addition, by engagement with both independent national institutions and civil society organizations, the project promoted dialogue and active citizen participation, especially of women and youth.

Time period and funding

This project was supported by Danida via the Danish embassy in Burkina Faso with a budget of 40 million DKK from 2018 to 2022.

Country: Niger

Results

This project has shown several positive impacts, including providing legal assistance to victims of rights violations and migrants, increased the number of non-censored media reports, combating corruption, promoting and spreading awareness of freedoms and human rights, enhancing democratic and financial governance and reduced gender disparities in leadership structures.

As a result of the project, 8442 persons have improved their knowledge of rights and governance, and the number of women leaders recognized and solicited by the population, authorities and community leaders went from 10 to 168 representatives in the project implementation municipalities.

Promotion and awareness raising of civil rights has also empowered marginalized groups to claim their rights. For example, women who have asserted their right to inherit land from deceased family member, a practice that often is reserved for men.

In addition, partner civil society organizations have witnessed improvements in internal governance, financial management, project planning and resource diversification.

28 civil society organizations, 2 state institutions and 1 research institute received financial and technical support, varying from 280.000 DKK to 3.000.000 DKK during the project period.