Niger

Strategic Partnerships Driving Progress: UN Women played a key role as a strategic partner and gender lead, supporting normative advancements such as the institutionalization of Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRB) and accelerating the WPS Agenda while addressing structural inequalities. This progress was made possible through close collaboration with the Government, UN agencies, Technical and Financial Partners, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). UN Women�s efforts, in partnership with the Ministries of Health, Humanitarian Action, Handicrafts, and Environment, contributed to SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Key Achievements and Impact were : (i) Launch of the Saraounia Programme under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, UN Women provided technical and financial support, alongside Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, UN agencies, and CSOs This programme aims to accelerate the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda within the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, reflecting strong national ownership and commitment, (ii) Local Procurement Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs with UN Women�s support, the Ministry of Handicrafts adopted a local procurement strategy prioritizing women processors and entrepreneurs, notably within flood response efforts. This led to the revision of the National Risk and Disaster Management Committee�s decree, ensuring women�s representation in decision-making and improved access to public markets and (iii) Mobilization of $35 Million USD for Women and Youth Entrepreneurship in partnership with the African Solidarity Fund (ASF) and nine financial institutions, UN Women helped mobilize $35 million USD to support women- and youth-led businesses. This initiative strengthened economic resilience, social cohesion, and sustainable development by expanding access to financial resources and entrepreneurship opportunities. By effectively combining its coordination, normative, and operational roles, UN Women strengthened policies, fostered partnerships, and delivered impactful programmes that enhanced women�s participation in peacebuilding, economic empowerment, and resilience-building efforts. These initiatives ensure sustainable progress toward gender equality and inclusive development in Niger.

The implementation of SN 2023-2027 through the Country Office's 2024 annual plan has been thwarted - by the politico-military crisis that has gripped Niger since July 26, 2023 with the seizure of power - by the military grouped within the Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie led by General Abdourahamane Tiani. The seizure of power triggered economic sanctions by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Western countries, including the USA, which provided aid for health, security and infrastructure needs. Sanctions by regional bodies (ECOWAS). . Despite this difficult and complex context, UN Women, in line with the orientations of the United Nations System in Niger, has drawn up an emergency plan to adapt its Strategic Note (2023-2027) to the current context, with a view to responding effectively to the needs of vulnerable populations, particularly women and girls, to cope with the effects of the political crisis prevailing in the country. This confirms the need for Niger to implement the nexus.Thus,I.in line with output 1.3 and indicator 1.3.3 of the SN corresponding to the first output of priority 1 of its emergency response, UN Women Niger immediately supported the setting up and accompaniment of a coalition of women's and youth organizations committed to the conservation and consolidation of GEWE gains in the implementation of a series of communication, mobilization and advocacy actions for the promotion and protection of women's and girls' rights in this period marked by political crisis. Women's CSOs united under the slogan "NigerFemmesPaix" have seen their capacities and networks strengthened through collective actions, including :A first joint declaration to safeguard GEWE achievements, followed by a memorandum submitted to the new authorities More than 2.9 million people reached through their impressions on social media via videos, podcasts and other web content produced during a digital campaign entitled #NigerFemmesPaix# and launched on September 5, 2023 and closed on October 20, 2023. The campaign was initiated and coordinated by UN Women with the support of over 50 women's CSOs and more than 30 young girls, In addition, as of 2023, a total of 129 women's and youth organizations have enhanced technical, institutional and financial capacities, and are currently playing important leadership and advocacy roles in the HPD nexus, including the ongoing transition process thanks to the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and several other awareness-raising and advocacy actions to further promote women's rights and economic empowerment. II. still linked to the effective implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, Niger now has an operational mechanism for coordinating and monitoring initiatives derived from implementation.III. also Niger has an operational framework enabling women entrepreneurs to access financing without guarantees.