Protection against human trafficking
As a migrant, in transit in Niger, you should know that there are several laws and legal instruments that guarantee you rights.
In this article we accompany you through all these legal instruments to understand your rights during your stay in Niger.
What is human trafficking?
Trafficking in persons is any operation or action aimed at recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring, or receiving persons, by the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, by abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of authority or in a position of vulnerability, or by the offering or acceptance of payment of benefits to obtain the consent of a person having an authority over another for the purpose of exploitation.
Thus, the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or reception of a minor under the age of 18 for the purpose of exploitation is considered trafficking in persons.
Protection, support, and assistance to trafficked persons:
Victims of trafficking enjoy legal protection, whether they are :
- of Nigerien nationality;
- of foreign nationality residing in Niger;
- of foreign nationality residing abroad.
Support and assistance services are available for persons who have been victims of trafficking :
- Moving;
- Accommodation outside detention centres reserved for alleged offenders;
- Medical and psychological assistance;
- Access to the diplomatic and consular services of the country of origin, within a reasonable time and in complete safety;
- The possibility of enjoying legal status in Niger;
- Any necessary measures to ensure the safety of the beneficiary.
Several organizations, in cooperation with the Prosecutor of the Republic, provide this type of service: click here https://www.sheega.info/hc/fr to guide you through the various assistance services available to migrants.
A specific protection measure is granted to children and particularly vulnerable persons, namely:
- Ensure the voluntary and safe return of particularly vulnerable persons and minors under the age of 18 to their countries or regions of origin
- Their specific social and psychological needs;
- The possibility, once they have returned to their country, of accessing minimum reintegration and education services.
Penalties for persons responsible of human trafficking:
The offence of trafficking in persons is severely punishable by law.
Thus, "anyone who intentionally commits the offence of trafficking in persons shall be punished by a term of imprisonment of five (5) to ten (10) years and a fine of 500,000 to 5,000,000 francs".
The same applies to offences relating to travel or identity documents :
''Whoever intentionally makes, obtains, procures, conceals, detains, removes, falsifies, or destroys any travel document of a person or any document which may establish or purport to establish the identity or immigration status of a person, or any other official identification document whether authentic or not, national or foreign, shall be punished by imprisonment for two (2) to eight (8) years and a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 francs''.
For more information on all the services available consult our service map.
For any questions :
- Contact us on our Facebook page Sheega.info Monday to Thursday from 8am to 5.45pm and Fridays from 8am to 1pm.
- You can also call us at these same times on our toll-free numbers 92 90 55 55 or 98 31 38 24